Curiosity Killed the Cat: Book 2
by Jinxofthedesert
Summary: "Follow after the Akatsuki, I decided. It'll be easy, I'd thought. . .oh how wrong I was." With time travel, amnesia, and the dark presence of Black Zetsu reminding them all that their days are numbered, it'll be a miracle for May to last a week. However, curiosity is a peculiar emotion, it might just be the death of them all. . .or what binds them together. On Hold due to rewrite.
1. In Which Our Awakening

**-J-**

* * *

 **-Part 1-**

 **My Worst Enemy is My Memory**

* * *

1\. In Which Our Awakening

Akatsuki's Time: May 16

May's Time: -?-

 _"Cower In Awe! Recoil In Despair! Cry Your Heart Out!" At last! Deidara could finally prove that his art was better than those damn, irritating_ Sharingan _. He'd won._

 _The terrorist felt his life ebbing away draining along with the chakra flow into the center of his chest, forming into the ball of life, his life to be exact. It wouldn't be much longer. . till he could finally prove to everyone that had ever called him a fool that his art-in the end-was far more superior. More so than Itachi and his bratty brother's Sharingan and Sasori's so-called eternal art (some immortal he'd turned out to be, un)._

 _Deidara gave a laugh, both life force, and chakra forming at the center of his chest, coming to create a ball of potential life and immediate destruction. It was so close,_ he _was so close. So wonderfully, ecstatically close to the finale in which he'd portray his final explosion to the world. A world that would forever remember such a sensational and astounding performance, one for the history books! The terrorist could see it now, people looking back and reminiscing on how his art had impacted the world itself._

 _"Because My Art-" The last remains of everything that made Deidara himself sealed itself off, finalizing the ball. Two slivers resembling eyes watched the Uchiha from where it hovered above the ground, radiating its power with a lifeless stare. A bout of tension grew as the black levitating ball began cracking, blue crevices splitting across the surface, the power making the very air shiver in anticipation._

 _The artist felt himself smile even though his body no longer existed. That look of fear on the Uchiha's face was exactly what he'd wanted to see. A good final image of what his art could do to those he bestowed it on._

 _Tension rocketed sky high as the chakra ball burst into a powerful form of light, creating a tremendous explosion that shook the entire earth. "-IS AN EXPLOSION!" Arms made of light rose to the sky at this proclamation. One last smile was given as Deidara's mind slowly destroyed itself and all became dark as death came, swallowing the last of his consciousness._

 _. . ._

Deidara woke in an exhausted state, it felt as if he'd been asleep for years. Drowsiness was coated over the entire brain like an everlasting slime.

It took only a twitch from his index for the blonde to realize that everything hurt, it felt as if his entire body had been torn apart and then put back together by a doctor who hadn't had pain medication at the time.

 _"What, the hell happened?"_ With a groan Deidara opened an eye.

Being able to see didn't help much because the entire room was black, and the ringing in his ears disabled any possible noises in said darkness.

Spreading out a shaky hand, Deidara took note that the ground was uneven and hard, proving to be a rocky layout. Two feet out was when something wet and sticky met his fingertips, the hand was pulled back to the blonde in curiosity. Trying to see was a desperate act since the blue eyes had yet to adjust to the nonexistent lighted area. Going around the fact that sight was cut off, the sticky residue was brought up to Deidara's nose; based off the smell the liquid was blood and it was still warm.

Where in the world was he? Hadn't he been fighting someone . . .

A youthful face filled the bombers head, two sharingan eyes glared back at him from the image.

Yes, he and Tobi had went to fight Uchiha Sasuke, and in the end he'd used his suicidal jutsu; which meant he and Sasuke had both died! There was a wide grin on Deidara's face at this thought, he'd killed the Sharingan user all on his own, with the use of true art.

A feeling of triumph pumped throughout the bombers veins as he slowly sat himself up, wincing at the stiff feeling that coursed up the limbs in unhappiness at the movement.

But still, the question remained, how was Deidara still alive? The suicidal jutsu was just that, suicidal, there was no returning from that attack, it was an Ace in the hole-only to be used if it was sure you were going to lose.

Sitting up was excruciating when what seemed to be a horrible headache, jabbed the skull; placing a hand to his aching head, Deidara waited for his eyes to get used to the darkness.

Blackness turned fuzzy until one by one, shapes began to emerge from it. What seemed to be a large cave awaited those eyes, along with the massive Gedo statue that loomed up in one end, nearly taking up the entire space of the large area.

Wait, if he was alive.. did that mean that he and Sasuke had _both_ survived? If so, then where was that damn Uchiha? The blood on his hand was cupped into a fist. Was this blood the black haired Uchiha's, or could it be.. from someone else?

Confused at the source of the blood, Deidara looked at the ground where a string of bloody kanji was written, the writings surrounded his body in a circle before branching out; the blood branches curled in opposite directions causing a choice to be made in which to follow. At the end of the one he'd chosen was a body. The collapsed person-who was in another blood circle-had his back facing towards him. The skin was pale in contrast to the black cave surrounding them both. In the dim light the body had eerie shadows that slipped over it, dipping into the spaces between muscles making it seem more dead than alive, but the rise from the shoulders proved life.

At first it wasn't apparent who the naked being was, but when eyes fully adjusted Deidara could just make out the silver hair that outlined the man's skull.

Clueless to what was going on, Deidara unsteadily got onto his knees-swiftly perceiving that he too was naked-before dragging himself in the direction of the silver haired man.

The cold cave floor was cruel to the bomber's legs as he crawled, the rocks tearing into the skin before Deidara finally dropped back into a sitting position next to the body-trying not to touch the aching legs.

Outside the cave, the wind moaned as it thrashed around the walls in an angry dance as if trying to get inside to freeze the bodies of both Akatsuki members in its wake. Even so, a chilly gust managed its way throughout, tickling over their shoulders in excitement.

"Hidan, un?" There was no response from the silver haired man, his arms curled close to his chest almost as if the cold had interrupted present dreams. With goosebumps climbing up the skin, Deidara gently shook the jashinist-when that gave no reaction Deidara frowned and gave a sharp jab to the bare shoulder below him. "Wake up!" The harsh whisper echoed around the cavern prompting Deidara to look around in case he'd just called unneeded attention; anyone could be in these caves, there could be enemies, Uchiha Sasuke might even be somewhere in those shadows.

Waiting for someone to appear was nerve racking, swallowing Deidara turned back towards Hidan who had begun to stir.

"Ugh…" Hidan's purple eyes opened abruptly, swinging out his arm towards Deidara who ducked at the retaliation.

"Hey, un!" Shifting backwards to try and put some space in between them, Deidara glared at the idiot before him.

Hidan turned his neck to look at Deidara, squinting into the darkness. It took a second for Hidan's eyes to adjust before he realized who the person he'd nearly knocked out was. "...Deidara?" Shaggy blonde hair shook every which way as Deidara nodded.

With knowledge that he wasn't alone, Hidan slowly sat up, his body stiff and aching as he did so. The skin felt banged up and the blood from the kanji was spearing onto both the calves and feet. "I can't see shit, where the hell are we?" Even with both eyes adjusted, it was difficult to see anything else but the Gedo statue that seemed to have its own glow.

Circling arms around his chest, Deidara sat there bringing up his knees as a shiver came up once more. "I'm not sure, I just woke up myself. We should be dead." Hidan scoffed at this answer as he cracked his neck left then right with the aid of his hand.

"You died, Deidara?" Deidara blinked, remembering that Hidan had died before him. There was a burning sensation across the kneecaps where the skin had been scratched during Deidara's crawl across the floor, he tiredly wiped at the opened scrapes that dripped blood down the white skin. The blonde felt so small in this area, so open for an attack that was sure to come soon.

"Yes, soon after you did,"

"Tch, I didn't die!" Hidan said angrily, placing a hand to his forehead as he grit his teeth in agony. Deidara's head also pounded slightly with a headache but he ignored it to peer around him, there was another shape in the darkness but it was too dark, it could be a rock for all he knew.

Suddenly the ground vibrated, dust fell from the ceiling in amounts that caught in Hidan and Deidara's eyes. There was nothing to grasp onto as the shaking grew, a loud rumbling noise growled as unexpected light burst into the cave. The light was so blinding to those eyes that had adjusted to blackness, that they were instantly covered, if they'd been open they would have seen a massive rock rising up, having kept the cave closed off to the world.

"Oh, they're finally all here."

 **"...Took long enough, didn't it?"** A small amount of hesitation laced throughout the deep voice. Slowly, the hands were lowered from the blondes face, his eyes still squinting as the light tore at the pupils devoid of mercy.

"You could have fucking warned us, assholes!" Hidan rubbed the eyes with his fists, trying to get rid of the burning sensation that the damn sun had marked into them.  
With a few more blinks, Deidara looked down on himself. It really wasn't a dream, he was still alive, the body below proved it. But, he was sure he'd done the suicide jutsu that had destroyed his body, how was it possible for it to still be here? The body was certainly still alive but it looked horrible; the dust from above had coated the white skin with a layer of brown, blood still ran down the legs from the cut up kneecaps, and he was still completely naked. One of the palm mouths opened and spat out some dust in something close to a coughing fit, it gave the skin a lick before closing once more.

One finger came up and traced the extra mouth, it felt like it had been weeks since he'd seen these, the mouth grinned up at him with its teeth on show.

"I don't understand, what happened?" Deidara looked up at the being who had risen the rock and entered the now bright cave. Zetsu stood there, Akatsuki cloak blowing around his being from the wind; to the bombers complete annoyance, his question was ignored.

"Hmm, where's Ob-"

 **"You mean, where's _Pain_?"** Black Zetsu cut into White Zetsu's question whose one eye widened as if he'd nearly made some grave mistake with his words.

"Yes, yes, of course." In a daze Deidara uncertainly turned around and for the first time had a full view of the cavern where he'd woken up to.

The cave didn't resemble any of the other caves they'd done jinchuriki extractions in before, it was large, the ceiling arching up way above 40 feet. Other tunnels that connected to the main one forked off in various directions, separating into darkness. There was much awe at the structure but that quickly melted away as Deidara's eyes drifted to the cave floor. Blood kanji swirled and twisted across the surface, meeting up with various others circles that curled around six more bodies that lay spread out on the rocky surface.

The entire Akatsuki lay around him like fallen angels. Not everyone, however, was in a circle: one man leaned against a wall, his head bent back as if staring at the ceiling… Deidara wasn't sure if he was awake or sleeping because the man wore a white mask.

"Jashin, where are we?"

Zetsu completely ignored Hidan's comment as he walked past them to gaze at the others in deep thought.

"They don't seem very lively.."

 **"Of course not, you idiot!"** Black Zetsu's voice was hoarse as he insulted his other half, the green eye twitching angrily.

Continuing their walk, Zetsu stopped by each body and tapped them with his shoe-hoping for some reaction that rarely came-before passing. Black Zetsu abused each in turn as if something about the whole situation wasn't his cup of tea.

Because of the dust that had blown into the cuts on his knees, Deidara flinched when he stood up-legs shaking as he did so. When it seemed that the appendages wouldn't give out, Deidara quietly walked over to the nearest Akatsuki member who lay in a similar way that Hidan had been.

"You didn't answer my question, fucker!"

Blue eyes went wide when they peered down at an unclothed Sasori who was plainly human, the curly red hair sprawled around the head in a tangle of knots and dust. The redhead's chest rose and fell with actual breath that blew dirt away from his nose.

 _"...I could have sworn that Sasori was a puppet..."_

"Emphasize that 'was', Deidara." White Zetsu called from his crouched position next to Pain who he was gently shaking in hopes to awaken the Akatsuki leader. Shocked that the being had somehow read his mind, the blonde blinked, what was going on here? Beyond confused Deidara leaned down next to the puppet master.

"Sasori, my man. Ya need to get up, un."

Meanwhile, Hidan had managed to pull himself up from his sitting position-one hand massaging a temple that was pulsing irritably at said movement-and now stood above his past partner: Kakuzu. The much older man was in a fetal position, the familiar kanji was spread around and under the limbs that lay atop the blood writing.

Hidan's purple eyes flicked over the nakedness before sporting an evil smirk, the jashinist leaned down to the tan man's ear that was covered in thick brown hair.

"Come on you damn old man! Get! The! Hell! Up!" The words were spat out with swiftness before the older man lunged his right arm up and crushed Hidan's throat in a vice-like grip before swinging around to crash the silver haired man into the ground with a sickening crack.

Hidan gave a groan when his shoulders hit the ground in a bad way, sharp rocks pierced the skin with jagged teeth as he was continuously held there.  
Kakuzu's red and green eyes slid open to glare down at his partner. The stitches across Kakuzu's arms rippled as he detached from Hidan and took a step back to look around. Various body parts pulsed in agony, the masks on the tan man's back seemed to twitch at the pain.

"You haven't changed at all!" Hidan grunted with a sore throat, pushing himself up after a second, the blood crisscrossing down his back.

Deidara gave Kakuzu a nod before giving Sasori one final shake.

Brownish red eyes snapped open as the puppet master came to. The first thing the redhead realized was how warm his body was, the skin actually shifted as Sasori moved an arm; everything was flesh and blood. It would seem that the immortal puppet master was no more.

Sasori was severely irked at the thought of having lost his puppet body, he'd spent so much time in creating that likeness! It was the work of eternal art, now gone forever.

One of his hands ghosted up to touch the fleshy palm in earnest.

"I thought the same thing," Sasori turned to meet his past partner's blue eyes who were staring down at one of the puppet masters hands that had once been wooden and lifeless.

Popping his back muscles, Hidan sat on the ground-one leg spread far out while the other was pulled up closer to allow for an elbow to lean on-left hand massaging his forehead. Purple eyes glinted as they opened a slit to catch sight of Kakuzu who stood watching Zetsu help up an aching Pain to lean up against a wall before going to help the man with the white mask.

Hidan blinked as he stared at his partner who was just as naked as him, he couldn't stop the small chuckle and snicker that filled his lips, quickly catching Kakuzu's attention who glared at him.

"Hey Kakuzu, I didn't know that you had stitches all the way down there!" Hidan laughed, pointing down at the older mans genitals. The jashinist had no time as his partner punched him in the face.

"Will you two stop it over there." Zetsu didn't even have to look to know the commotion was coming from the two immortals, his green eyes focusing on the task at hand.

Zetsu felt for a pulse on the man with the white mask, out of everyone in the room Zetsu was the only one who knew that Obito was the person hiding behind the white casing. White Zetsu sighed happily when a pulse was detected in the wrist, the true leader of the Akatsuki was still alive.

"Come on now."  
 **"Yeah, get up. We're wasting precious time."** Obito seemed to stir as Black Zetsu kicked the man's shin, White Zetsu sighed at the tactics but remained quiet on the subject of the black being's violence.

White Zetsu shifted his eye to stare at Kisame and Itachi who had also woken up, the Uchiha was leaning up against the wall, his hands had taken a pair of glasses off his face and was peering at them in curiosity. When had the Uchiha prodigy started to wear glasses?

Catching sight of Itachi, Deidara rose up from Sasori with a frown. His irritation rising at the smug black haired man before him. The desire to tell the raven that he'd killed his younger brother was sincerely tempting, but Deidara didn't even know if he'd actually killed Sasuke. Now that he thought about it, he would not admit to that, his pride might never recover.

"Ugh, I have the worst fucking headache, _ever_. Did we go drinking last night or something?" Hidan finally rose from the ground where he'd landed after Kakuzu's punch.

"Of course you'd think that, you moron.

We all _died_." Kakuzu growled, his deep voice echoing as he crossed his large arms over his bare, stitched chest.

Still sitting on the floor, Sasori cocked his head to look over at the two immortals. _"So, we_ all _died."_ However, that did not explain much in the long run. Why had they all been brought back; had something happened? How long had it been since Sasori had died, it could be a hundred years in the future for all he knew.

"Tch, don't pull my damn leg Kakuzu! Just cause I don't remember doesn't mean I'm stupid. I got out of that hole, I'm fucking positive!" There was an angered stare down between the two, both believing themselves to be correct.

Deidara rolled his eyes, bending to sit back down on the softest part of the ground he could find, even so he grunted when the blonde finally plopped down.

 **"Actually, you didn't make it out of that pit."** Black Zetsu stated as Zetsu turned around, the green eye of the dark side glowered down on the silver haired man who snarled back. **"It was your grave in the end. So I guess that makes you stupid."**

"You Asshole! How the hell do you fuc-"

"Can you please stop the needless swearing, it's quite annoying." They all turned to find a cloaked man with short white hair, his snake like eyes glittered behind round glasses as he stared at the revived Akatsuki members.

"Kabuto, what are you doing here?" Sasori asked with narrowed eyes, his body on alert at the sight of the snake. Amused at the shocked tone, Kabuto's yellow eyes drifted to meet the puppetmaster's gaze with a trademark smirk finding its way across his lips.

"The Akatsuki and I are allies in the war." Having been listening to the snake, Kisame blinked, exchanging looks with Itachi before looking over at Zetsu, asking with his eyes if this was the truth.

"He speaks the truth." White Zetsu responded when Black Zetsu only sighed, bored out of his mind.

Sasori only had eyes for Kabuto, the person he'd spend to spy on Orochimaru so long ago. . .was he really on their side? Could they even trust the snake? He'd betrayed them long ago and certainly wasn't trustworthy in the puppetmaster's book. Just because Kabuto's looks had changed considerably didn't make him any different, he still beheld that smirk that didn't bode well for Sasori who only saw the deceit and the secrets hanging from inside that mouth.

Shaking his head at the distrust radiating from the puppetmaster, Kabuto slid his gaze to White Zetsu who had Pain leaned up against him as he helped the Akatsuki leader stand on trembling legs.

Cupping his head in agony, Pain shook it in hopes to get rid of a massive headache; the piercings on his face felt as if they were conducting the head pains and making them sickeningly worse. Pressing the hand to his brow, ringed purple eyes opened to search out Zetsu, it took him a second to realize that he was being held up by the Zetsu.

"Zetsu, what month is it? What day?" The Akatsuki leader swallowed, trying to take in his bearings and stand on his own shaking legs. Finally, he gave up and just leaned on the other being with a sense of exhaustion.

"It's the 16th of May."

The reaction to those words were immediate.

Black Zetsu closed his eye in bewilderment, why did that name sound so familiar and give him a nausea feeling deep inside?

"May?" Sasori asked, his voice hinting strain, as if a forgotten memory was failing to resurface for the puppet master, his annoyance fluttered across the redheads features.

Kakuzu bunched his eyebrows together in confusion; for a second all seemed to be in a daze before collecting their thoughts on the subject, trying to grasp at straws.

The name of the month was familiar-not just because it was apart of the 12 months of the year-but the Akatsuki members could conclude that they'd never met a May during their lifetimes.

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 **Author** : Heyo, dear readers! It's great to be back with you all in this new journey of May and the Akatsuki! Now, if some of you have just read through this chapter and are thinking: "What the hell is this? Who is May and what is going on?" Then I would suggest going back to read Book 1 Kittens:Akatsuki, so that you can thoroughly understand May and the Akatsuki's story. To people who are here straight from Book 1, I do hope you enjoy what more you have to read. Please review when you get a chance, I would love to know your thoughts on what you think or how to make the story even more intriguing!

As usual, have a blessed day. Love ya!

-Jinx of the desert


	2. In Which Our Tremor

-J-

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2: In Which Our Tremor

Akatsuki's Time: May 17

May's Time: -?-

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The leaf village was in a torrential downpour.

Harsh rain created a loud calamity as it hit roofs, storefront awnings, and traveled through paper lanterns that blew in the savage winds. One lantern-in particular-was torn from its hook, managing to shoot through the sky on that tremendous breeze, sleet rain simultaneously tearing bits of the paper off in its wake.

The only positive objective of the weather was that the foliage would burst with life and greenness tomorrow and weeks afterward, well if any of the trees managed to hold onto their leaves till then.

With such treacherous rain and wind battling overhead, every citizen was inside, preparing dinners for their families; unlike the citizens, scores of ninja's were either on missions or out preparing for the war, leaving the village virtually empty.

A powerful flash of lightning struck across the sky in one long arch, quickly followed by a loud scream of thunder that boomed overhead in frightening contrast to the black sky.

The dark and gloominess seemed to fit the mood of the place, happy thoughts were clouded with visions of the future war, preparations for many deaths were already being processed in numerous minds brought possibilities that people didn't want to think about but couldn't help mauling over in the back of their heads at the dinner table.

However, this war was inevitable, the citizens could hide all they wanted and pretend that the war was just a bad dream, but to the ninja, it was mandatory and terrifying.

If any peace had been filtering throughout the land, it was suddenly dashed; war contemplation's were forgotten, everything was put on hold when the earth below their feet began to rumble.

An earthquake shook the houses, shuddering each structure like a leaf in a cyclone. People found security in doorways and under their tables as the ground groaned with a terrifying shake that caused things to fall off shelves, awnings to tremble, and dogs to bark outside in fear.

Any remaining ninja were in a dash to get to safe ground, seeking sanctuary anywhere that didn't have objects sliding off roofs, houses caving in on themselves, or deal with the various pets rushing down the street to get away from the ordeal.

Because of the fear concerning the earthquake, none came to wonder what had started this earth shattering event, but if the villagers were to time travel back four seconds and directed their gazes to a certain area, they would have seen that a small bubble of light had appeared over the woods not that far Konoha. It was like an angel the way it had so mysteriously and majestically appeared, however, its descent was anything but angelic; when the light finally subsided around the unconscious body inside, the person had plummeted like a falling star, smashing into the earth like a falling star.

The moment the body came into contact with the surface, an earthquake burst across the ground like a wild demon, stretching it's terror out towards the leaf village, up the mountains of the Kage faces, and on for many more miles in tremendous shakes and trembles.

Trees shook their trunks, leaves shaking in earnest as they dropped from branches left and right, instantly being caught up by sheer wind power. The amount of minutes that passed before the earthquake finally lost its fight with the rain were unknown after the fact. The only thing that mattered was the sound of fierce rain that still came down.

In-between the trees, the person lay in the dent it had made upon impact, the rain weeping down onto her as if it cried specifically for the young girl.

Rainwater slipped between the crease to the girl's mouth, bringing on a cough at the sudden intrusion of taste on the dried out tongue; she twitched her shoulders just as her blue eyes opened. The first thing she saw were the treetops, all swaying back and forth as the wind ripped through them without mercy, tearing at the bark and leaves in anger.

Thousands of raindrops found their way to the girl's face as he brought up her hand, palm open wide, and clenched the appendage into a successful fist. May smiled up at the cloudy sky that was suddenly lit up with a grinning streak of lighting and a loud hello of thunder following soon after.

* * *

Black Zetsu was having a horrible couple of days, no, horrible couldn't even describe how everything was going. things had gone catastrophic! _Nothing_ had gone according to his plan at all which was incredibly irking beyond belief.

The reanimation of the Akatsuki was not meant to work. It was supposed to get rid of the Akatsuki and Obito, destroy them, kill them, delete them from history; Black Zetsu didn't care which, but _one_ of _those_ was supposed to happen. And yet, all the Akatsuki were now alive, and Obito had managed to survive even after the black being had jumped through hoops to specifically kill the so-called annoying Akatsuki leader.

Everything had gone faulty, which was not comprehensible to Black Zetsu because everything _always_ went his way!

He'd had years to gain expertise in the fields of lying, deceiving, and making certain that flawless plans were created that had no room for error. It made no sense that the strategy had failed this time, Black Zetsu had gone over the procedure a million times, he'd set it up to go one way, and one way only: dispatch them far away and the Jutsu would finish them off by making their chakra's poisonous and kill them without interference.

The plan was so perfect that Black Zetsu had patted himself on the back when the ritual had first begun; the feeling of those blood circles beginning to glow around the corpses of past Akatsuki members was memorable because he'd it had been a final farewell to the despicable organization. However, the Akatsuki-the thorn forever encased in his side-had slithered out of the brilliant plan! Instead of killing them, the jutsu had succeeded in escorting all the S-Class Ninja back from the dead.

When the dead, flaky bodies had slowly returned to life, steam rising from the bodies as the skin crawled back up to become healthy and vibrant-the blood kanji glowing majestically-Black Zetsu had stared at them in horror. Then when he'd returned to see them waking for the first time, there was only one desire that Black Zetsu wanted for them: death.

Now he was stuck with the pathetic, useless Akatsuki who weren't even worth the dirt under the black being's feet; he scowled at the thought of existing around these idiots once more. Black Zetsu could hardly stand Kabuto, adding the Akatsuki meant eight more headaches to occur before the end of the war.

The cave was dark and gloomy but was much more lively than usual as voices from deep inside met Black Zetsu's ears. Maybe he didn't have to kill them, he could last a bit longer if forced; this thought was mauled over inside his head as one hand cupped onto the chin to hold it up as green eyes bore a hole in the other wall. Both White and Black Zetsu's and split in half only an hour ago, with White Zetsu leaving to scour the layout of the land for Kabuto who was in the middle of trying to make a map of the land layout.

Maybe, the Akatsuki could somehow be used to further the black beings mission to revive his mother… that might be possible, the Akatsuki were stupid and easy to manipulate if you knew the right buttons to push. Black Zetsu would have grinned if he'd been in his other body, maybe this calamity could be turned into a positive for him.

On his left, a gust blew in from the cave opening, swirling around near his feet before circling up to drift around Black Zetsu's upper body. This particular breeze carried with it a whiff of chakra. Allowing for the hand that was supporting the face to drop, green eyes turned towards the cave opening, in the direction of the leaf village. The chakra ghosted around him like a living vapor, swirling around him. There was something about the chakra that was incredibly familiar.

The chakra swirled around him, digging deep into his mind until it formed a name that burned a hole into the brain, **"May,"** it was said in confusion because Black Zetsu had no clue where it had come from, only that the feeling was similar to when he'd said the month's name only yesterday. With that one word brought a bloodthirsty drive to rush throughout the body of the Zetsu, he was almost taken aback by the rush of hatred and blood-lust deep inside his unconsciousness, almost as if he was supposed to know this chakra signature and to act accordingly because of it.

It was said again with a more relaxed tongue as if trying to curl around the letters in hope to find reason in them, and just like that, an image came to light inside his mind. The picture was quite hazy for a second, green eyes needing a moment to adjust as he closed them for better visuals.

Who was this 'May' he seemed to hate so much? If it was someone he'd met throughout the thousands of years, Black Zetsu would have remembered, he rarely forgot a face; but no face was attached to that name yet.

The image was clearing, puzzle pieces flicking to fit in their appropriate places with haste.

Black fingers curled into a fist in irritation.

At last, the final piece of the puzzle was rammed into place.

Black Zetsu found himself standing in a room with cold cement walls and floor, one single light was dangling from above, its bulb not completely still as it drifted every which way; even though the light was all alone, its shine went far across the floor, brightening up the far left and right corners. Leaning against the wall-in between said corners-sat a young girl, one arm and one leg chained to the right wall, rubbing the skin raw in their wake.

Blonde flecks of hair littered the floor, seeming to point to the girl's hair that was shorter than Black Zetsu's. The same chakra that Black Zetsu had just felt back inside the cave was vibrating from this weak looking thing in front of him. However as he continued to watch, Black Zetsu was able to detect many other chakra signatures escaping the tiny being, signatures that felt just like the Akatsuki…

The girls eyes snapped open suddenly as if someone had said something only she could hear; bright blue met green and Black Zetsu grit his teeth, almost taking a step back. It was certainly a girl before him, but at the same time, it was like looking at a layered picture. Along with the defiant blonde glaring at him, there was Deidara with his slanted blue eyes, Hidan's purple eyes blazing, Pain's Rinnegan, Itachi and Obito's Sharingan, Kakuzu's red and green eyes, Sasori's reddish brown, Kisame's yellow rounded pupils, and White Zetsu's green eye all bore back at him as if they were all one in the same.

Black Zetsu had no clue who this child was before him, or how she carried all the chakra signatures of the Akatsuki within... But the girl's name became certain-as the black being stared down into the two blue pools of hatred for him-that one name of the month was repeated, the girls eyes flashing angrily as she pulled herself up to stand before him. **"May."**

A loud clash of thunder cried out.

His subconscious was trying to tell him of a human girl, but Black Zetsu had no clue who she was; it was irritating that Black Zetsu's normal mind only seemed to recall her name, but if he had such an inkling to kill the wretch, then so be it. Whoever this May was… she was bad luck for him; maybe even a bigger thorn in his side then the Akatsuki? Maybe.

A quick flash of lightning lit up the spot where the black being sat, rain poured from the overcast sky with tremendous force. The wind circled down into the small valley where the cave entrance was hidden, licking over the sticky mud. A random bird squawked in the distance from being caught in the rain.

Brushing off the matter in general Black Zetsu went to stand when the chakra on the wind returned once more, seeming more and more familiar; and as the wind grew, the more his eyes widened in awareness as the black being finally understood. The next time the lightning flashed it was lighting up a face of knowledge, a face of irritation and happiness. A look of mixed emotions as Black Zetsu glared up into the sky that was various grays and black all mixed together, forming into the color of depression.

He remembered everything.

So, May Lawford had somehow managed to make it here, now that was annoying beyond belief. The black being couldn't believe how angry he'd been just minutes before about the Akatsuki being alive, them forgetting May had been the perfect plan! Sometimes the stars aligned just perfectly. It certainly was irking having May here, but she easily could be taken care of. Sooner or later, she'd search them out, and when that happened, Black Zetsu would quickly eliminate that horrible nuisance, she wouldn't be a thorn in his side for long.

Thoughts on May were quickly exited as another chakra was sensed, Black Zetsu turned fully towards the outside world, the rain worsening by the second as he peered through the sleet... was the rain turning to snow? The rain certainly looked much thicker and was hitting the ground in white clumps that stayed a second before melting. Snow in May? Did this have something to do with the annoyance herself? It wouldn't surprise him in the least if it was.

Realizing who it was, Black Zetsu frowned and turned his attention to the ground when he saw a white shape morphing through the snow to the cave's entrance. When White Zetsu finally was out of the elements, he rose up from the ground, hair plastered to his head, rain dripping every which way onto his bare chest. The black being showed no emotion as he stared at the newcomer.

When concerning May, White Zetsu was an enemy since the white being had clearly taken the girls side in the end, he'd betrayed Black Zetsu for that. . .annoyance. He should've killed him when he'd had the chance. Right now would be the perfect time, White Zetsu didn't suspect a thing, one swipe of the hand and the white being could easily be beheaded without a single noise. No one would ever know.

Murdering his supposed 'other half' was a pleasant thought, however, there was no reason to do so right now, so he filed that away for a later date. The white being would die, just not right now, his life could still prove to be useful in the future.

As if he hadn't just been going over whether or not to kill the white being, Black Zetsu glanced town to see what his other half was carrying. A heavy satchel was swung around White Zetsu's body and in his left hand was a triple-bladed scythe that the black being instantly recognized.

White Zetsu must have noticed the stare that the bag and scythe were getting because he quickly said: "These are for the members. Clothing, forehead protectors, and some ninja equipment." Brandishing the scythe from his side, White Zetsu held it before him with a playful smile as he tried to balance it. "And Hidan wouldn't shut up about his scythe, so I brought that too." The scythe was lowered as both the Zetsu's turned to face the tunnel as the loud voices of the Akatsuki members reached their ears.

Black Zetsu sighed at the disruption.

"I forgot to tell you, Obito needs you to go and pick up some clay for Deidara and equipment for Sasori to make new pup-"

 **"I'm not a servant, so do it yourself."** White Zetsu frowned at being called a servant, shifting a bit as if he'd been burned.

Neither Zetsu said a word, allowing for both the silence and tension to grow between them like a spider web.

Exhaling, White Zetsu shrugged and walked past. He gave a swift look backward when he reached the beginning of the tunnel, grip tight on the handle of the scythe, then turned to disappear into the darkness.

That was another thing that Black Zetsu hated about the Akatsuki, they treated him like a servant, he'd about had enough of their demands and stupidity. Deidara and Sasori could go get their own crap, there was no way he was gonna do it for them! Black Zetsu didn't obey anyone but mother. If White Zetsu wanted to bend to their every whim, he could do it on his own, Black Zetsu would have no part in that.

The black being hated White Zetsu but loathed the Akatsuki even more, if their uselessness kept antagonizing him, he knew he'd just kill them. There were many reasons to keep them around if he took a second to think over multiple possibilities; Black Zetsu just had to ignore their irritations and keep to his plans.

Every bad thought was rolled up and exited in a deep exhale, each dissipated from the black being's mind allowing for him to turn back to the situation of May, her image glaring at him from behind closed eyelids. She was out there, somewhere in the ninja world, and soon, she would make her way here, believing that the Akatsuki was actually waiting for her.

 **" _I said last time we met, that if we ever crossed paths again, I'd kill you."_** . . .But was this pain really worth his time and efforts to kill with his own hands? If Black Zetsu really wanted he could plan for someone else to kill her so that he wouldn't' have to lift a single finger. . .yes, now that, was a pleasing thought.

The black being smiled, coming up with a new plan would take time, he'd have to figure out a way so that-unlike last time-May would die this time, fulfilling Black Zetsu's promise to kill her.

Nothing would get in his way this time, the game was set, and he would win.


	3. In Which Our Skepticism

**-J-**

* * *

3: In Which Our Skepticism

Akatsuki/May's Time: May 17

* * *

The caves that had become the Akatsuki's official hideout were far from impressive. They were cold and held a dampness that only decreased the already low-numbered temperature. It was the first time that the organization had had an official hideout and so far Sasori was loathing it. No, it wasn't the never ending chill-although that held little to no charm-it was the thought of being hidden underground like a weasel. Granted he was used to hiding in a puppet, but that didn't hold a candle to being _buried alive_ like this.

Not to mention that he'd gotten the lowest cave to himself. Which-after walking for thirty five minutes, Sasori was sure it was very far down. . .he didn't even want to know how far he was from the surface.

However, there were some positive aspects about his current situation. One being that he was _alone_. Thirty five minutes truly doesn't sound very far but it was if the puppetmaster could no longer hear the other Akatsuki members conversing above. He liked the silence as well. Sasori was usually silent and found simple joy in situations that were similar to his personality.

 _"Still . . .I'd rather be on the move. Going from hotel to hotel like the good old days."_ The Akatsuki had never had one single base-Sasori nearly laughed at the thought. It wouldn't have been logical for all the members to be at one place at the same time. Plus they were always doing missions or laying low, there was no time for such ludicrous things. The only down side the puppetmaster could note about not having a base was traveling with his partner non-stop. Day after day listening to Deidara talk about his disgraceful art style, his 'so called' respect for Sasori's-though all he did was insult the puppetmaster's art-and complain about Tobi's antics whenever they managed to meet up with the crazed Akatsuki member.

. . .Maybe staying here wouldn't be that bad. He wouldn't have to listen to Deidara as much as he had or Tobi for that matter. But that didn't disregard the cold.

Suddenly shivering, the puppetmaster wrapped the burgundy cloak closer to his body, staring at the lantern before him on the floor. It's small flame flickering either way but never towards him, as if it realized his sudden weakness to the elements and was purposely ignoring his needs. Sasori scoffed, his eyes drifting down to peer at his hand. Gently prodding it with the other, feeling the delicate yet firm skin shift beneath his fingertips. With curious eyes he outlined the bones, tracing his finger down a blue vein that ran up the arm.

It had been years since Sasori had been human. Years since he'd actually progressed in age. Even now, the puppetmaster couldn't believe that his puppet body was gone, that he'd died and had been brought back. There was so much to take in and yet all he could do was ponder over what to do now. Should he rebuild himself into a puppet once more? Become another piece of immortal art? Or remain the way he is? Of course being human would be an inconvenience, not just for him but for whoever became his partner in the war. He couldn't be careless either.

". . . From the looks of it, being human really wouldn't be a good option." Sasori muttered, glancing at the ceiling in deep thought.

His words were firm, as if he'd already decided to discard all humanity again. Mentally, however, he was very unsure. There was something-in the far back of his brain-disagreeing with this outcome. Telling the puppetmaster to disregard the puppet body and remain as he was. Why? The first time Sasori had made himself into eternal art he'd done it without a second thought, welcoming the new him. Why was he doubting _now_? As hard as he thought about it, there was no reason for him to be so unsure. It had worked the first time . . . he didn't understand. Why was being human _so_ important? It had never done him any good.

"You're all the way down here, alone?" Blinking, Sasori came out of his deep thought process. Following the voice, he found White Zetsu crouched to peer into the small cavern, tiptoeing just outside as if he weren't allowed in without the puppetmaster's permission. "Wow. . .how did you even get in there? Can you even stand up without smashing your head on the ceiling?" The white being's green eye glittered with concern as he squinted at the low ceiling then at Sasori's seated position.

"Regarding how I got in here: crawling on my hands and knees was proficient enough. To if I can stand: No I can't, but who said I needed to? And, to your first question: I like my privacy." White Zetsu held back a chuckle, holding up his left hand in a surrendering motion. Sasori's eyes were instantly drawn the white being's other hand that held a large brown bag. He was the only one living down here as of late so it had to be for him . . .but White Zetsu had already handed out clothing and weapons such as kunai.

"Are you sure there isn't another reason you're down here?" The puppetmaster cocked his head at that, not sure where the other was going with his question. Why else would be down here than to get away from the annoying voices of the others? White Zetsu adjusted the strap of the bag, gripping it closer to his body before meeting Sasori's gaze. ". . .You know, Sasori. No one thinks any different of you." Frowning, the puppetmaster gave the other a look, wrapping his hands around his chest in agitation at the round-about sentence. Seeing this the white being briskly continued, knowing that the puppetmaster was growing impatient. "About being human, I mean. I know it seems like a huge disadvantage based on what you used to have." The white being stopped, letting a second of silence pass. "But it might turn out to be a good thing. . .if you embrace it."

"Hmm. . We'll see." White Zetsu smiled at the answer, before crawling somewhat through the small opening and dropping the bag next to Sasori who quietly stared it with a raised eyebrow.

"All you need to make new puppets are in there, along with the tools you requested earlier." Ah, so that's what was in the bag. Truthfully, the puppetmaster hadn't been expecting the white being to get his equipment so quickly. Either the other was just good at his job or he knew how much Sasori hated waiting.

Unzipping the bag, brownish red eyes analyzed its contents, giving a nod of appreciation when noting that everything he needed was there. "This will do. For now, at least." One single green eye watched the puppetmaster carefully take out each piece-creating organized piles regarding the wooden appendages. Never had the white being seen the other so tender then when he handled puppets. Everyone in the Akatsuki was like that towards something, it brought a small smile to White Zetsu who recoiled out of the cavern, straightening back to his full height.

"Well, I'll be taking my leave then." White Zetsu took a few steps and stopped gaining Sasori's attention. "So, what are you doing to do?" The puppetmaster couldn't help but be a bit annoyed at the other's prying into his own business. But there was logic behind it, he was sure that White Zetsu wanted to know on behalf of Pain. They would need to know what he planned to do for future strategies. Immortal or mortal could mean failure or succession in the upcoming battles.

Becoming a puppet again would be so simple, a child could do it. Sasori knew it would be for the best. . .and yet uncertainty still clung to his inner mind like a vile disease, clouding his judgement.

"I wont, at least for awhile." The words were out before the puppetmaster could grasp their meanings. He quickly found that maybe they were for the best since he clearly couldn't make a final call with such turmoil over the change.

White Zetsu nodded. "Gotcha, I'll inform Pain than. Good luck with the new puppets. I believe that there won't be any official fighting for a few weeks, so take your time-"

"No, the quicker these get done, the better." Analyzing the parts before him, Sasori began to work out the best pieces that would go together. These creations most certainly wouldn't measure up to human puppets, but they were better than nothing at all.

Shrugging, the white being turned and walked back down the tunnel, humming a strange tune that managed to catch Sasori's attention. He turned to face the cavern's opening, listening. It clearly was the song _Jingle Bells_ , a common song for the winter season. The puppetmaster knit his eyebrows together. He couldn't place it but there was something about that song . . .why couldn't he remember?

Brushing off the feeling, Sasori turned back to the body parts, picking up a wooden hand in order to screw on a thumb with a screwdriver he'd dug out of the bag. Getting into a rhythm, the puppetmaster soon found a half made puppet before him, it's lifeless eyes staring into his own. A creation of perfection. A creation that he could become.

Sasori sighed. Being human a bit longer wouldn't be that bad. He'd endured it for nineteen years a few more weeks wouldn't be that life-changing. And, maybe-this time around-there would be a reason for him to be human. His inner turmoil clearly thought it was important enough to drive such a wedge between him and his desired eternal body.

. . . What the hell was he even thinking. Being immortal had been great. His body had been adverse to hunger, pain and ageing. He'd been perfection. This thought made the skin beneath his cloak itch, driving a feeling of doubt throughout the puppetmaster's human body.

No, he surely wasn't trying to fool himself.

To be a puppet was art, to be eternal was art. He could be art.

. . .Was he fooling himself?

Sasori scoffed. Yeah right.

* * *

Having his scythe back in his hands nearly made Hidan have a giddy heart attack; the urge to go kill someone right then and there was terribly powerful as the scythe was wielded back and forth, the weight of the weapon feeling familiar.

With the desire to kill came the desire for the ecstasy that would surely occur from driving a blade into his body. The Jashinist gave a pleasurable shiver just at the thought of future rituals. It was too bad that Pain had ordered him not to kill anyone, not that Hidan followed orders, but Pain had threatened with burying him in a hole once more. There was no way in hell he would be buried again, ever.

The scythe was thrown up into the air before a skillful hand caught it, Kakuzu watched from far off just in case Hidan decided not to heed leaders warning and go on a killing spree.

Even with the weapon back in his possession, Hidan felt incredibly weird; not having his immorality was like running around without chakra, it was unthinkable and yet it was happening to him right now!

Yes, it would be lovely to have the pleasurable ritual that would result in a mind blowing orgasm but that wasn't the only thing on the Jashinist's mind as he lowered the scythe to stare down at it, the red blades glinted in the dim light.

The look intensified to a glare as Hidan's brain traveled back through the weeks he'd been buried in a hole, in that hell where that Konoha bastard had left him to rot.

Hidan did not understand, Jashin should have come to help him when he'd been down there; he'd prayed and prayed for his god to come down and give aid. But Jashin had never answered the call for help.

The Jashinist felt, in a way, betrayed by the one thing he trusted in this world.

His life had been given in serving Jashin, but in the end, Hidan realized something important: Jashin didn't care about his followers, he hadn't cared at all for Hidan, the Jashinist had been just a means to an end.

Jashin had let Hidan die; that pissed the albino off continuously.

The hand clutching the end of the scythe had turned a pasty white from the intense grip on it that continued to get tighter and tighter the angrier Hidan got.

With a loud growl, the scythe was swung viciously at the wall where it dug in a few feet before being torn out in a fit of rage. "Bastard! Damn god!"

"What are you going on about over there, un? Can't you be silent for two seconds?" Deidara said from his spot on the ground, a pouch of white clay in front of him that had just been distributed by White Zetsu.

The mouths on his hands were lovingly licking at the zipper of the bag as the blonde opened it and placed his hands into it where the familiar clay lay. The left mouth immediately picked up some clay which it chewed thoroughly, chakra seeped into the white mash as it was pushed out onto the palm where Deidara swiftly molded it into a tiny butterfly.

Hidan was seething in the corner, the scythe shook in his arms as a piercing glare was turned from the ground to the terrorist instead.

Deidara almost wished he hadn't said anything; Kakuzu shook his head with a sigh but to the trained eye you could see he had become quite irked with the display Hidan was showing, it was testing his patience.

Two green snake eyes watched from the cliff above, Kabuto knew Black Zetsu had given him this outcropping to keep him out of the way but it was the kind of place the snake would have desired anyway since you could see and hear everything that happened in the main cavern. The only problem with the cliff was that it was incredibly close to the ceiling causing Kabuto to slither out instead of walking.

"You," Hidan turned on the blonde who glared right back, "Shut the fuck up right now or I'll make you. I can be as loud as I fucking want!" Kakuzu narrowed his eyes at the albino, preparing himself just in case the idiot decided to go against Pain's words.

Deidara's right eye twitched in an irritated fashion before flashing out a hand from the bag, the mouth spitting out a wad of clay that the fist closed over in an instant. Seeing this Hidan brandished his scythe threateningly, his eyebrows pinned together as a growl rose from deep within.

"Did I not just say: No Fighting? Are my words meant to be ignored?" Deidara's fist stilled and Hidan's eyes went over to Pain who had appeared in the room from one of the tunnels, the silver haired man didn't allow his guard to settle as a glare was given to the Akatsuki leader.

The terrorist sighed, shoving the used clay back into the bag with a look of vex.

"Whatever, un." Deidara shrugged it off, going to the next bag he'd been given that consisted of kunai and a light red cloak. Pain gave a nod to the blonde, sent one final piercing glare to Hidan, and left the room to go back to bed.

When it became obvious that Deidara wasn't going to angrily retaliate with clay bombs, and that Pain was out of the picture, Hidan slid his hand up the scythe handle and brought the tip of one of the spikes to his hand, a trickle of blood welled up as the sharp edge pierced the pale skin. Hidan was tense as he waited for it to heal, his purple eyes so focused that Kakuzu was nearly worried in his corner. After a minute, the cut had not healed at all, the only sign of it doing anything was the blood that still traveled over the curve of the hand to drip onto the cave floor.

After what seemed liked hours, the cut sealed up, the blood flow stopped.

Even though he had healed, Hidan had the suspicion that he was no longer fully immortal, if Jashin wasn't connected to him then he would only have his normal healing abilities, but if his head were to be cut off again the albino would certainly die. Hidan wasn't sure how he knew this, it was just a sensation that suddenly overcame him as he stood staring at the hand gripping the scythe in a deadly hold.

For once Hidan wasn't sure what to do, he was still somewhat immortal but there was still vulnerability, but the one thing that Hidan was bewildered about was that he wasn't sure he wanted to be connected to Jashin anymore.

Jashin had left him, failed him, hadn't cared at all.

Maybe there was a reason for this confusion, Hidan just hoped he'd fucking find out soon.

* * *

The rain seemed to fall for hours as I stared up at the oncoming drops, the noise created by said raindrops was the most amazing thing I'd ever heard. Coldness from the rain seeped into the clothes making them stick to the skin and cling like velcro.

When I, at last, tried to stand up there was a bit of a struggle from the mud having a good hold on my back, it gave a loud 'pop' as the suction was put to a stop from breaking away. The weight on the back of the shirt proved that it was coated in thick mud that squished in between my fingers when I used them to propel myself upwards into a crouch. Water dripped from my hair as the short locks moved from my quick shifting.

Wind ripped around as if screaming at me to leave, tree branches whipped up and down, left and right in sign language movements.

Sensing chakra from far off was what really proved where I was, it wasn't just an average forest like the ones at home. It was the world of Naruto, a world of ninja, villages, and danger…. And it was exactly where I wanted to be.

Time sat still as I sat there, rain trying in vain to wash me of mud that violently clung on, the strong pitter patter of rain died away to be replaced with white specks of snow that fell to the earth in slow motion, a drastic change compared to the fast rain. A blanket of happiness was thrown over me, bringing forth a wide smile as I couldn't help but laugh.

"I Made IT!" Laughing ended with a cough and choking sound as a drop of rain slipped between parted lips and went down my throat the wrong way.

Snow from the sky had gained thickness and momentum as if fell to like a sheet being thrown over a bed, the flecks were so slow in their descent that it seemed like slow motion, the silence was deafening, it was so calming that an itch to get moving began creeping up from the bottom of the spine.

Snow flicked this way and that as the wind picked up and swirled around the trees and my crouched figure.

In reality, it had only been three minutes since leaving my world for this one, yet hundreds of years seemed to have passed in those measly minutes, had really been an instant? It didn't feel like it had been that swift in coming here, but the shortness of my hair proved that no time had passed for me.

My Akatsuki was waiting for me somewhere in this world, boy they would certainly be surprised when they saw me! They were probably wondering about how to move on right now… or finishing off Black Zetsu, even so they would be overjoyed that I'd been able to follow right after them.

We'd be together again, a content sigh filled me but a tug of worry pulled at my stomach, I wouldn't be truly fulfilled until we were all one once more.

 _"I'll be there soon guys, until then… be safe."_ I suddenly felt stupid, of course, they'd be safe! My brain had to stop thinking that they couldn't take care of themselves, the Akatsuki weren't _pushovers_.

Licking my lips, I slowly rose up from the crouch, the checkered bag thumped against my leg with sticky mud clinging to the bottom and side.

The snow on the ground had already begun to cling as some of it shifted around my boot, sticking to the black texture like it was in need.

Shifting to look around, I brought up a hand and scratched the back of my head, reeling in disgust when the hand came back with new mud on it from the brownness that had caked the back of my head. I certainly wasn't going to win any awards for being sexiest chick of the year, that's for sure; cleaning up right now did not matter, there would be time for that later, right now only the Akatsuki was what mattered.

Cold hands rubbed together as my eyes closed to seek out the Akatsuki's chakra, it wasn't hard to detect theirs, it was like searching for their specific personalities till I came up with a match that felt like them, it was a difficult concept to wrap my head around so I stopped all technical thought process on it.

The chakra signatures were very light, but they weren't far from where I was now. They were waiting there, I had to make it.

I just wanted to be with them again, oh how I miss them even now.

"I'll be there soon, wait for me!" Tightening the bag around my shoulders I set off on my first mission in this world, my heart was in my throat as the smile wouldn't leave.

The snow fell around my shoulders as my figure disappeared into the misty atmosphere, the tree's curling in the wind that turned to a low howl as if whispering secrets that would leave me confused about what I would find eventually.

But I had nothing to worry about, nothing at all.

We'd all be together again.

 _"Together…"_

* * *

 **Author:** Hope you are all liking the chapters, It seems that Sasori and Hidan are having various doubts about what to do next, and May thinks everything is butterflies and gumdrops...

Leave a review if you have time.

See ya all later, love ya!

-Jinx of the desert


	4. In Which Our Solitary

**-J-**

* * *

4: In Which Our Solitary

Akatsuki/May's Time: May 17

* * *

There was a reason why I'd always had a difficult time in gym classes; the run to where the Akatsuki lay was surely long, far, and caused me to stumble part way there. Loud pants and gasps escaped my parted lips as I bent to lean shaking hands against my knees in a desperate attempt to rest for a second.

The desire to regroup with them was powerful but it was still difficult as I continued on-wards, pushing myself even when gasps turned into rasps, and those legs became numb with the continuous strain on the muscles.

Was it worrisome that even though all those complications were being noted on, my body was persistent and continued on? If I could just make it to the Akatsuki I'd be fine; my strain mattered little when every second my heart was swelling with the love I knew was there, and small tears came to blue glassy eyes when thoughts of the future reunion came over and over within the fleshy brain.

 _"Just think, soon we'll all be together and…"_ Before the Akatsuki had left, I'd given them knew rings for their Christmas/farewell gifts, then before they'd vanished from my life all those rings had been shifted to each member's ring finger. Did a ring on a ring finger mean the same thing in the Naruto world? In all truth, my brain couldn't detect any remembrance on the subject of marriage in Naruto. It had to mean that! The way each had looked at me as they did it… it was meant as a declaration.

Which meant that they wanted to marry me.

Which meant that they all loved me.

There was a heat and hard pulsing in the beating organ I call my heart.

Which also meant… that if we all got married… we'd be able to do sexual actions together.

I nearly stumbled on a root.

No, this was not the time to think of that, and yet my fear had risen at this particular thought. There was a part of me that suddenly threw a tantrum-screaming with fierce eyes-that I wasn't ready for a relationship and actual sex, I wasn't mature enough, I wasn't…

Eyes narrowed.

Yes, I'd always wanted to be married one day, have a family, and live out the rest of my days at home taking care of the kids and waiting impatiently for my darling husband to come home from work; that had been the dream since nine years of age. That thought had been put on a shelf for quite sometime after I realized that I had a difficult time attracting _any_ men… it might have been the weight problems but that didn't scream: Reason!

Then the college storm had started and all thoughts of the future family were moved to the bottom of the to-do-list.

The bag was bumping up against me in a steady rhythm, once in awhile faltering as the legs gave a tremble of fatigue.

Was I really ready for something this big?

My brain thought over everything. There was one thing I'd definitely noticed after meeting the Akatsuki, they had helped me to become a better person, they made me feel strong...like I could take on the entire world and be ok. They gave me the courage that I lacked, even now I could feel that encouragement pushing me forward past my limit.

A wide grin suddenly stretched my thin lips up the cheeks in symmetrical movements. I hadn't been the only one to change either, Obito had said that all the Akatsuki had become more human because of being around me. We'd both done good for the other, whether we had realized it at the time or not.

Suddenly a rush of excitement and strength filled my calves and slipped down my legs, in that second the running was intensified.

If the Akatsuki wanted to be with me, and we could make such positive impacts on the other, then we were good for each other!

As sweat dripped down my face I realized that my fear of marrying the Akatsuki had vanished to be filled with a loving hand of peace that gracefully swirled throughout my being.

There was a tugging in my heart, a feeling that I can only explain as a happiness was trying to smother out the beating.

 _"If you all asked me to marry you… I do."_

* * *

The chakra signature was dim because of the distance and seemed to be masked slightly-proving that the girl was not as stupid as predicted-but it was exceptionally powerful, pulsing with determination. Yet with all that resolve, Black Zetsu sensed no weariness; from his observation, the girl seemed to think that everything was perfectly fine. She must think him already to be dead, and the Akatsuki depressed over their loss of the weakling.

Black Zetsu felt his teeth-that were not on display at the moment-twist into a malicious grin. He couldn't have planned this better! Now was the perfect time to rid the universe of that pest; he'd let her live once, not again, not this time.

From what the black being could sense, based on the pace May was doing she'd be at the hideout before the sun reached its final descent to bring forth the glorious moon. Black Zetsu almost wished that he could kill the nuisance during the night, where his mother could see. But in reality, this pathetic little girl wasn't worth showing off to his mother, May was not a challenge, she was but a mere speck of dust on his clothes.

Whether the girl was a challenge or not mattered little, the pest needed to be dealt with before she tried to become a bigger pain in his side then she already had.

The only thing that surprised the black being was that May was coming over here without rest, without hesitance, he'd expected her to hold back a couple of days to rest. But that also didn't matter, if May wanted to hasten her upcoming demise… who was _he_ to deny her this fate?

May would no longer be an occurring inconvenience because the Akatsuki themselves would kill the girl without remorse; it was incredibly fitting that way, having May killed by the men she loved and trusted.

Oh, how Black Zetsu loved the irony.

* * *

All the rinnegan users muscles were in agony, the strain great with each pulse of his heart; sweat appeared on the pale brow as Nagato sat in his chair. The Pain body lay on the ground next to him, looking asleep yet no breath came from the parted lips.

Nagato's frail figure convulsed in the chair as he fought to control himself to remain still; this was not the time to move, Nagato feared that if he did, the muscles would tear open.

Skinny arms came up to brush some deep red hair away from his forehead where tiny droplets of sweat had appeared to lazily slide down the smooth skin.

He understood that the jutsu put much strain on the body, and with his body still being sickly...it was much worse than the other Akatsuki member's.

Licking chapped lips, Nagato ran a hand down his hair before dropping it into his lap with a sigh, his arms seemed fine but the rest of the torso wasn't.

With this bodily torment, Nagato almost wished he hadn't been given a second chance at life, he was sick of this pain-ridden body, he had always been sickly and still it remained. The rinnegan user knew that Obito had brought them all back for the war, yet Nagato did not remember dying, had he really? How was that even possible, he was a god after all? Maybe there was a reason he didn't remember, it was viable that subconsciously, something horrible had happened that he didn't want to recall. It could have something to do with the absence of Konan, during the past twenty-four hours, Nagato had not sensed Konan's chakra anywhere around or near the hideout.

Not knowing where his old friend could be was stressful, but she'd show up eventually, everyone else was here, Nagato had to believe that she too, would show.

An itch started deep within the throat, and the rinnegan user bent forward to cover his mouth as a horrible cough splattered from his mouth. The cough went on for the next fifteen seconds, echoing around the chamber, but it was so deep into the cave that it was unlikely the other members had heard even a whisper of the chilling cough.

One other drawback of the jutsu that Nagato didn't like was the weakness he felt, it had been difficult to control the Pain body-nearly making him pass out in the process-and even now it felt as if all his chakra was gone. White Zetsu had told him that he'd be a little weak for the next couple of days and that he was much weaker than the others as well… all because of his frail body. While all the other moved around freely and had some chakra usable within their shells, Nagato's was limited for the time being… this made the rinnegan user feel immensely vulnerable.

Another cough filled the air, red hair shaking as Nagato fought to stop the savage hacking.

It was during this little fit of coughs and pants that the frail man picked up a chakra getting nearer to the hideout. At first, Nagato glared in the direction where he sensed it, so far above him on the surface. The chakra felt incredibly strong and familiar. The frail body sprang forward as if struck by a pin, the chakra signature wrapping around his mind, body and soul.

That chakra wasn't _just_ familiar, Nagato knew it.

Suddenly Nagato felt as if he'd been in a dark locked room for years, and someone had just unlocked the door and brought in the light for the first time in centuries.

Tired rinnegan eyes opened wide as the frail being remembered everything.

May. She'd followed after them! A wide smile spread over the worn face, the skin crawling over his gaunt cheekbones.

Before Nagato could even move to act, another cough exited his mouth.

 **"Well, well."** Nagato's eyes widened till they hurt, he swallowed to stop the coughing and looked from under his eyebrows for the other being. **"Funny, the other Akatsuki members noticed May's chakra getting closer…"** But everywhere Nagato looked, he couldn't find Black Zetsu, even though his voice rang clearly. In this instant, Nagato knew they were all in danger, especially May. If Black Zetsu still wanted to kill the girl then this demon had to be taken care of, now… but the rinnegan user knew he was in no state to battle and win against this creature. **"...but none of the others remembered her. You're the only one… Nagato."** There was a rush of air and Nagato felt something behind him, he struggled to turn around, but he never made the full turn.

Just as Nagato was in the middle of turning, he felt something cool touch the back of his head.

The rinnegan's last thought was that he had to warn May and get her to safety before there was a semi loud clicking sound and a blast echoed.

"May…."

* * *

 **"You're the only one . . . Nagato."** Black Zetsu smirked, eyes of yellow and red widening in glee.

Stepping out from the wall, the black being found himself right behind the sitting rinnegan user who had just felt his presence.

It was pitiful to watch the frail man try to turn to see him, they were all so weak compared to him, Nagato almost seemed to be moving in slow motion to the black being's trained eye.

This was almost too easy; Black Zetsu had half a mind to wish that this was more of a challenge, but this was the Akatsuki, of course, they weren't going to be challenging for him.

The plan for the Akatsuki to kill May was still set in stone, but with Nagato having the memory of May, he was a threat to that very plan. Black Zetsu would not allow anymore threats and annoyances to get in his way. He could care less if the Akatsuki could be somewhat useful in the resurrection of his mother, if they got in his way, he'd kill them.

It was a good thing that before he lost his memory, Black Zetsu had hidden a little memento from May's world in this one.

The black being had been holding the slim cold object in his hands, the shiny sides caught a glint even in the darkness as Black Zetsu swung the gun up, pressing it to the back of the rinnegan's slow turning head.

There was a sense of release, of peace as his index pulled back the trigger, there was an intense joy to hear the loud bang of the gun, and it was insanely enjoyable to watch the rinnegan's head implode.

A strong and thick smell of blood coated the air as the corpse of Nagato collapsed from the chair, crumpling next to the Pain body that remained on the ground.

Black Zetsu had turned his gaze from the body to the weapon in his hands, yes it surely was effective even if the black being liked to toy with his victims first.

That was one problem out of the way, Black Zetsu could almost see the path clear to the destination of May's death. Now, nothing could stop him.

Black Zetsu knew that he was going to win this game.

* * *

The three ninja in the main cavern could sense the chakra just outside the large cave, whoever it was they seemed to be waiting.

Kakuzu sent a look to Hidan but the idiot was already grinning madly, scythe brandished in a show off manner as the jashinist turned towards the rock in front of the opening. Deidara slowly rose from his sitting position, strapping both bags of clay to his hips underneath the cloak.

All their eyes were on the door, keeping all attention on the chakra signature.

Up on his little cliff, Kabuto sat with legs crossed under him, watching in interest with snake eyes glinting behind his round glasses.

"How about we fucking break into being alive with a bloody slaughter?"

"Says the one who's no longer immortal,"  
"Shut the fuck up, Kakuzu!"

"I agree with him, un."

"Not you to, terrorist. I wanna kill something!"

"Whatever, un."

Hidan's eye twitched as the rock began to rise slightly.

* * *

May looked up at the massive mountain that stood with a powerful intensity, a rock stood guard in front of the entryway to a cave that she knew held the Akatsuki behind it.

Just as May was trying to figure out how to get around the boulder, a cold breeze-with a vicious bite to it- blew over her shoulders; snow blew around like a vortex before separating to blow off the way she'd just come from, almost as if trying to say to turn back around. Stopping all thoughts of getting around the rock, blue eyes turned to look behind, then up to the gray sky, there was a feeling of dread in the air as thick as soup.

The wind whipped this way and that, gaining May's attention so much that she barely noticed the boulder rising a few feet upwards, allowing for enough space for a body to get through.

However May was not stupid, having chakra seemed to have heightened her instincts to the highest level of sensitivity possible; left ear twitched at the sound of the rock scraping against the edges of the wall, barely hiding the sound of quick footsteps.

On instinct, May swirled around and managed to duck in time as a three bladed scythe sliced through the spot where her upper body had just occupied.

Tiredly, May looked up at her attacker who stood in the shade of the mountain where she'd just been standing. The short haired blonde froze at the sight of Hidan in front of her, his purple eyes wide with blood lust, smirk firmly on his lips as he rose the scythe to his side, swinging it almost playfully while never taking his eyes off her.

There was a tremble from May as she stared, confused at the albino she had known so well. _"What? Why would he attack me!?"_ Her body seemed to sag, almost as if she would just fall to the earth like a rag doll. _"I don't understand!?"_

Hidan snickered at the look of shock and fear in the girl's eyes, almost daring to say he saw tears at the edges, wow he must really be scary, he'd have to pat himself on the back later for being this bad-ass.

"H-Hidan?"

"So you know my name, damn, how fitting that I'm the last thing you see!" There was a deep sigh from behind Hidan as the rock rose high enough for another member to escape into the shadow of the mountain, Kakuzu's eyes darted directly to May knowing full well that she wouldn't be living very long, especially with Hidan in this kind of mood. Deidara came out behind him and leaned against the stony wall, blonde hair whipping in the wind and snow as he stood to watch the show.

The blade was swung once more, nearly catching May in the shoulder.

"Stop moving you bitch! This is my first kill in quite sometime, let me fucking enjoy it to the fullest!" At this comment May's face seemed to flinch, teeth biting into her bottom lip before allowing it to gape open at his words.

 _"He seriously wants to kill me?! What's happening here?"_ May noted the way that Kakuzu and Deidara glared at Hidan before sending their piercing glares to her, but the emotions in their eyes was not what she wanted to see at all. They were stares full of a strangeness she didn't remember being there last time. _"It's like….they, don't remember...me…"_

"DIE, BITCH!" Hidan lunged forward, leaning his upper torso more towards her, swinging the blade in a large arch, it sliced through a bit of Mays jacket on the top part of the sleeve, the scythe swung back only bringing back cloth on its sharp point.

Snow fell between them as May grit her teeth. _"That's it! They don't remember me! But why? I don't understand why they don't… did they forget on purpose? But why.."_

May was so caught up in her inner turmoil that Hidan was suddenly bearing down on her, a loud laugh filled her ears from his open mouth that screamed: crazy. The inner instincts did a frantic jump, kicking in before May could stop them, bringing up a rush of chakra allowing for the short haired blonde to catch the edge of one of the blades at the last second, spinning under it and kicking Hidan in the gut. It seemed that May accidentally used too much chakra as Hidan flew backwards crashing into a rock wall.

 _"Please, I don't want to hurt you, please! Just let me go, I can't bear seeing you like this. But what if they forgot me on purpose… because they didn't want to deal with forgetting me? But… would they really do that? I mean, no matter how painful it was for me, I'd never give up those wonderful memories! NEVER! Would they, really do that?"_ In all reality, May's brain was having a mental breakdown between crying in anguish that they'd forgotten, being bad at the thought of them forgetting on purpose, and fear of getting killed by one of the men who had loved her.

May bit back down a sob, knowing she'd come all this way, and was still no closer than she had been hours before hand.

There was a pang in her heart, the feeling of being forgotten… it was happening all over again.

Hidan pushed himself away from the wall where he'd left a small indent on the firm surface, dust and rock particles fell from his ruffled hair and cloak; rubbing his sensitive stomach, purple eyes glared at May who just stared back into them. Her blue eyes then flicked to Deidara who was rolling his eyes at Hidan's blunt actions-obviously not to his taste-then to Kakuzu who was merely looking between May and his partner as if waiting for the conclusions; May managed to catch the Christmas colored eyes, but they were cold, deadly and chilling to the bone.

These men were no longer the ones who had been in the hospital only days ago with May, laughing and having a good time. They were back to being true killers once more, thirsting for blood, killing at every chance they got.

 _"The Akatsuki I loved, love me. But these Akatsuki…. they're no longer them! But somewhere, deep inside are the ones I got to know…."_ But this was not the time to think of possibilities. Just gazing at them, May knew they would kill her without a second thought. If she wanted to survive, no matter how much she loved them, it was time to get the hell out of there.

"Bitch, I told you to stop moving!" Hidan growled, flipping the scythe up to get a better hold on the rounded end of it.

"As if she'd listen to an artless fool like you." May took a small step back as Hidan's eye twitched, his eyes snapping to glare at Deidara from the corner of his eye. "She obviously doesn't like your course language and undesirable methods, un." There was a small glance from May to the blonde who had smiled and turned his blue eyes to her, there was something in his eyes that instantly reminded May of the Deidara she used to know.

The calmness of the blonde vanished as his eyes widened, thrusting both hands into the pouches hanging at his waist.

"I'll show you how it's done, un! I'll show you true art, Hidan!" May's face fell, raising her hands in a weak defense, forget Deidara being somewhat like the Deidara she'd known, he was just as bloodthirsty as Hidan.

Gritting her teeth, May did the only thing she could do in a situation like this, she turned around and ran like the devil was licking at her heels; there was a stumble as her legs gave an angry pulse of agony from the previous running spree...but now wasn't the time to take a break.

As she ran May tried to hear if she was being pursued; Hidan was easy to pick out from behind, his footsteps make a slight crunching noise on the rocky ground, even with that sound he was fast and caught up to her with a speed she hadn't known he'd possessed. At first, May had a sneaking suspicion that Deidara-like Kakuzu-hadn't joined the chase, but as if to prove this theory wrong her senses searched outwards, finding him above instead of behind. Ripping her head to the sky, May spotted a large white bird flying a few feet from her head, a head of blonde hair whipped as one blue eye stared down at her.

May jumped over a root, Hidan swung at that exact second, catching the tip of her shoe in mid jump; unable to catch herself May tripped with the elegance of a clumsy fool, slamming into the ground.

As her body came into contact with the earth, opening a small gash on her forehead, May felt something wrap around her legs, ceasing all movement in them.

Spinning with dizziness, May pushed up her head to glare at the weird strings curled tightly around her legs, they writhed and wiggled, tightening by the second. May had only a second to find the source, Kakuzu standing in the background, his stitches that were wiggling out from his arms were attached to her legs.

The world stopped spinning as the sound of wings met May's ears, blue eyes shifted from Kakuzu to up in the air. A white bird flew towards her, Hidan neck and neck with it as if trying to beat it and prove that his method of killing was better.

Deidara stood atop his bird, smiling wider, both hands cupped in a hand sign as his eyes darted between May and the bird, waiting for the two to collide.

Blue eyes narrowed in desperation at the blonde above, the albino racing towards her, and the tan man watching from afar as his stitches did the work.

The white bird suddenly gave a final burst of speed, leaving a cursing Hidan who seemed unhappy at not killing her, but still he laughed as the bird flew under May's nose. Deidara's piercing eyes found hers one last time, smugly waved goodbye and cried out: "Art is an explosion, un!"

May's eyes widened at the possible outcome, and in that instant she saw the Deidara tickling her in a changing stall, Hidan kissing her in the bathroom, and Kakuzu hugging her to his chest. They looked so much like the Hidan, Kakuzu, and Deidara she had known, but there were strangers now.

 _"I don't want to die this way."_ It was a simple thought as the bird under May's nose-just brushing the chin-exploded with a flash of light. This thought developed her mind and before the explosion could touch her chin and body, May teleported away, leaving the bird to blow itself up on its lonesome.

* * *

 **Author:** Let us all give Nagato a moment of silence . . . may he be remembered as one who only wanted peace.

See ya all later, love ya!

-Jinx of the desert


	5. In Which Our Two Sided Coin

**-J-**

* * *

5: In Which Our Two Sided Coin

Akatsuki's Time: May 17

May's Time: -?-

* * *

The winter wind was chilly as Deidara stood upon the explosive bird, a beautiful creation that had made his heart race with joy at being able to produce wonderful, fleeting art again. The way the creature seemed to hum under him was enough to lull the senses in a peaceful way, but any passionate feelings about the perfect abilities dispersed the moment the girl had somehow eluded Deidara's lovely little bird at the last second by vanishing into thin air.

A wide smile had graced the blonde's lips during the chase, now only a deep frown of annoyance strove dominance over his face.

The immense owl beat its wings one final time before a hand sign was fashioned allowing for the bird to rupture into countless columns of smoke; Deidara was airborne for a second before landing perfectly on the firm ground, blue eyes never shifting from the spot where the girl had been only seconds ago.

It was rare that someone could elude the fast explosives that the blonde made, even rapid reflexes had a hard time of avoiding them in general. Maybe she was invisible right now so that they couldn't see the bloody pieces of her body scattered across the grassy ground that was slowly turning white from the constant snow fall.

Looking around, Deidara smiled. Yeah, that could do it for him, just as long as his art had killed her in the end. But what if she had escaped such beauty? The thought that she might still be alive sent the blonde's blood to a boil, the frown was back as he looked around in case the girl had managed to just run off instead of vanishing like some spirit.

But only Kakuzu, Hidan, and his chakra remained, there were no other chakra signatures in the surrounding areas.

Deidara sighed, and here he'd been hoping to show Hidan exactly how his art was the perfect battle technique.

* * *

Before the Akatsuki, I'd never truly connected with anyone. There'd been friends during the middle school years-everyone had some kind of friend back in their early ages-I was lucky to find some girls who liked to play with me. But as months of friendships turned into years, those ties slowly died away with maturity.

It was the end of tenth grade when I realized that the only people who truly loved and cared about me were my family, and for a time, there was happiness again.

Such joy, however, does not last forever. As suddenly as that contentment began, it quickly died when the family began breaking apart.

All family ties were shredded when Marcus eventually left me to fend for myself. After that day, the world was lifeless and dull, the single thing that mattered was school. Even with this gray world set in stone, I found joy in this simple life, and happily went into it with some enthusiasm.

Truthfully, I cannot remember how Jo and Gwen came in, but when they did the world regained small amounts of color to its bleakness. Nevertheless, things didn't always work out the way I'd imagined when it concerned the two sole friends I possessed. Gwen was extremely bossy and was so set on having me live and experience life, that she'd drag me on outings that were pointless to me, I mean, who really needed fifteen gallons of make-up? While Gwen was the live wire of the group, Jo was the veritable opposite; he was one of those kids who liked to melt into the background, how he got stuck following Gwen around, I'll never know, but he seemed ok to go just about anywhere with us. In a way, Jo was like me, no one had really noticed him either, and when Gwen showed up and began to pay him attention...it didn't seem to matter how bossy she was, at least, he had someone to talk to.

They certainly weren't the best friends-and after certain events-Gwen hadn't ever been my friend. The world swiftly lost that glimmer of color when Gwen had talked me into going to Cass's Christmas party.

But then, the Akatsuki had burst onto the scene, bringing an everlasting light to the shadowy world that encased everything; they restored my reason for living, bringing forth happiness and a genuine purpose. They had needed me just as much as I'd needed them.

The Akatsuki became my life, my family, and brought warmth that I'd never experienced.

In the real world, they'd been the light.

But now…

My eyes slowly opened.

...Here in the ninja world, there was no one to give the light of hope and love.

The genuine purpose was blurring as if water damage had collected and smeared the letters of reasons to live on in this world.

My reason for living again was dying.

* * *

There was second of hesitance before Hidan's eye twitched insanely at the drop of blood that littered the ground where the annoying bitch had just been. The chance to feel the weapon slide through flesh and watch the blood gush and spill onto the ground was gone.

Shoulders shook in unison as rage filtered in and out with the albino's heartbeat.

"Deidara!" Gnashing teeth together Hidan swirled around, his light red cloak following his movement as the scythe was held up and pointed in a threatening manner towards the blonde who was standing nearby with a frown. Deidara sent his eyes to meet the offensive Hidan, taking note of the scythe that was pointed at him, almost brushing his open cloak.

"You missed, bastard! How the hell did you miss?" Deidara turned the rest of his body, crouching slightly to dig both hands into the bags at his hips, seeking out clay that was quickly molded. palm mouths quickly spitting out clay that he molded into a bird, matching Hidan's threat right back at him. "If I'd known you'd miss, I would have gotten there quicker! Your art fucking sucks!" The albino growled, earning a displeased look to cross over Deidara's face at the insult his art had just taken.

"You dense fool, how dare you insult my art!" Saliva dripping from the clay that-using a thick tongue-was pushed out from the mouths on the blonde's palms.

Only a few feet remained between the two as a stare down began, more and more insults of the fleeting art were shot from Hidan's mouth that vividly increased Deidara's mood for violence. Neither gaze faltered in case one decided to attack when one's back was turned away.

After a second, Hidan's demeanor changed, the snarl descended and was replaced with a rude smirk.

"Well, if my chance to kill the girl has passed, then… your death will have to suffice!" First came the insane laugh, then the arm holding the scythe was raised straight out at shoulder length, and Hidan was dashing towards Deidara with a skilled twist of the triple blades.

The blonde's hair was in danger of being slashed as Deidara bent down to duck the three blades, swinging out his own arm and throwing the bird at his attacker.

There was a moment of silence as bird and scythe flew at their targets; two pairs of eyes glaring at each other, waiting for their weapons to land the killing blow.

With quick reflexes two blackened hands shot forward, one grabbing the bird-which blew up on contact-the second grasping the middle blade on the scythe, holding the trembling blade in mid air, the tip of the blade inches from Deidara's cheek.

Eyes with a green pupil and red irises blinked as Kakuzu stood beside them, left black hand smoking whilst the right one was tense in its hold to keep the scythe from getting any closer to the blonde's face. Even with his partner kept a substantial hold, Hidan still tried to budge the top blade closer to his victim, the tip barely brushed Deidara's cheek before he wrenched his head down and away from the precise aim.

"Enough of this pointless squabble, Leader is calling a meeting." Kakuzu glared at both of them, his own irritation flashing as he used his hold on the scythe to push its owner backwards a few feet.

Hidan caught himself mid-fall by driving one of the three blades into the ground to seize balance; positive that there was no chance of collapsing, Hidan scowled up at Kakuzu who in turn gave the albino a look that meant danger if the older man was pushed any farther; they were all on thin ice now.

"Leader told you specifically not to kill anyone, Hidan, especially a fellow member. Try so again, and _I'll_ bury you instead of Leader."  
There was a smirk from the crouching Hidan that seemed to be last straw for Kakuzu who frowned and-not seeming to care that the white haired man was no longer immortal-punched his partner in the face.

Pain crashed through Hidan's body as his body collided with a tree, slamming the back of his head into the trunk. Blood gushed out of the albinos nose as he glanced up under his eyebrows, meeting Kakuzu's eyes he laughed.

"That was pathetic! You going soft over there, Kakuzu my pal?" Deidara saw the possibility of a massive battle between the two that would end in death, taking action he placed a hand on the older man's shoulder, catching his attention quite quickly.

"Come on, Kakuzu, he's not worth it. Let's just go to the stupid meeting." Kakuzu stared at the blonde who was much shorter than him, the fist that had been smoking slowly uncurled from its twitching fist.

"Let's go." Turning their backs on the albino, Deidara and Kakuzu made their way inside the cool cave.

Snow fell around Hidan who shook his dizzy head, checked his nose in case it was broken and pushed away from the damn tree that he sliced at with his scythe for good measure.

The adrenaline rush of killing someone was cooled down from the chilly air, but it didn't get rid of the urge to cut something in half.

Cursing the entire way, Hidan followed, zipping up the cloak when the chill licked over his bare chest.

Personally, Hidan could care less what Leader had to say, meetings were boring since there was never any action, but the cave was the only place where it might be a bit warmer so the albino could shrug away going to the tedious gathering.

* * *

Never in the past few hours had the thought occurred to me that the Akatsuki could forget everything we'd gone through. There was a strong pang inside my chest, vibrating throughout the heart and veins in protest. No matter how I looked at this situation, my brain couldn't wrap around the concept and wholly accept it. Both brain and logic were in a heated disagreement, one screamed that it wasn't true, that we were somehow sleeping and having a nightmare. The other screamed back that we'd gotten cut from falling, so this _couldn't_ be a nightmare. Because of this raging battle, a huge headache was forming, bringing much discomfort to the thought process. But past the headache and the two arguing, deep inside my uncomfortable being, I knew that this was reality.

The discomfort grew as I shifted the kinked legs to a better position, muscles poking here and there from strain.

Eyesight was a bit fuzzy, black spots forming around the hazy sight, but from what I could see it was very dark and the outline of what seemed to be trees, didn't appear very familiar...unless, these trees were the ones I'd woken up to the first time in this world.

Blood traveled down the forehead from the cut I'd received earlier, trickling on its way down where it clung to an eyebrow. As if it had specifically been prolonging itself, a thin cut of pain came from the wound, slim fingers found their way upwards to wipe the blood away and feel just how deep it was. Thankfully the cut wasn't very deep, but it pulsed angrily as if saying it would be the death of me very soon even though it was minuscule.

Blue marble eyes blinked to life-and since I was sprawled out onto the ground-they opened to grass tickling my nose and the thick scent of earth, it was a comforting smell that tried in vain to calm my rushing heartbeat.

A nightly breeze flew over the grass, moving it in a motion close to that of waves. Trees with thick trunks loomed high into the night sky that twinkled with millions of stars, the full moon nearly hidden by thick treetops.

With the entire world being encased in night, it seemed to have a dangerous aura about it all; even with the dark grinning shadows and evil clouds, the mood cast a hopeful glow on all it managed to touch, giving various trees, bushes, and grass a white pasty glow. It was nice to have everything a bit more illuminated, but where the beams did not reach, there were long extensive shadows that curled in eerie ways. These were the kind of woods you stayed away from at night, death seemed to coat each shadow as if stepping into them would cause instant death for the victim.

The silence of the woods was so profound that it felt like a pair of headphones had been placed over my head, even the wind barely had any sound connected to it. _"This would be the perfect horror movie moment… Where's Michael Myers?"_ There was a hesitant chuckle that seemed out of place, causing me to ram my mouth shut as if that one sound had just triggered all the horrors of the world onto me.

An owl stared down into my eyes with boredom as if this was a normal occurrence.

"Where am I?" I narrowed my eyebrows in confusion, trying to brush away the fear that was beginning to take place because of all the creepy factors of the forest; when I'd gone to the Akatsuki hideout… hadn't it been daytime? And upon closer look, there was no snow and the sky held no clouds that would bring any kind of wintery weather, only wispy ones that showed no signs of horrible elements coming down in thick amounts of snow. Based on these facts, it was clear that this place hadn't seen snow in months, so wherever I was, this place wasn't near the Akatsuki's hideout.

The breeze had the warmth of summer as it stroked over my covered shoulders, the jacket I bore seemed silly now in the heat of the night. Some dried mud cracked and fell from numerous spots on the coat, finally showing that it had once been a shiny black leather instead of brown.

There was some resistance from the stiff legs, but after a minute, I was able to stand without falling back down. Blue eyes remained on the sky, watching the numerous stars blink like tiny lights.

Coming from such a hectic moment, it was nice to just stare up at the beauty above, and allow the jittery nerves to stop their heart attack.

It also gave me time to think of the current situation I found myself in.

"Is it really possible that the Akatsuki forgot about me?" Muttering to myself, I raked my hands up the sleeves of the jacket, trying in vain to shed the dried mud. Did sending the Akatsuki back really make them lose their memories? Could it have been Black Zetsu? Or was it possible that they'd forgotten on purpose?

My brain hated the last option yet for some reason a part of me turned more so to that idea than any other, it saddened me beyond belief at the thought of them somehow forgetting on purpose. _"It couldn't be that choice! They would never…. Right?"_ In all honesty, I wasn't sure, if they had wanted to start over with the knowledge that I would never be in their life… would they have given up those memories so willingly? And if it was Black Zetsu, why would he keep them alive? He'd already stated how much he hated them and thought that they were far beneath his power and genius.

The headache came back again as both sides of my brain began fighting over which was right. For some reason one side thought the that them forgetting was right, it made sense and it also hurt the most. Maybe Black Zetsu had somehow offered them the forgetfulness if they gave him something in return.

This seemed logical.

But Black Zetsu having planned this entire thing was a big thing to.

After a second I gave up, sadder than before because the thought of them forgetting on purpose really hurt, and the sadness began to morph into anger at the Akatsuki.

How!? How could they just forget about me!? If I'd been given the chance to forget and move on, I never would have agreed, no matter what the promise was. Even if it meant that Black Zetsu had promised never to hurt me again, he wouldn't keep a promise like that, and the Akatsuki should have known that…. I really hope they didn't make that deal.

* * *

"A meeting?" White Zetsu nodded at Kisame who was in the middle of pushing his arms through the sleeves of a cloak, in hope to cover his naked chest since no shirts his size had been distributed to the members.

"Go and get Itachi on your way to the main room," the white being turned, "see you there." With those last words, the shadows swallowed White Zetsu, leaving Kisame alone.

Kisame zipped the cloak up and went down an opposite tunnel that led from his small room that didn't have much area for moving around freely. The shark man would have loved a bigger place, but almost all the other caves were the same height and width, based on these facts he could see them all getting a bit cramped.

Leader calling a meeting was a mystery to the shark man, there was only one reason why a gathering would be called like this: a mission, or a mission connected to why they had actually been brought back to life. Kisame really wasn't looking forward to a mission so soon, they'd only just arrived yesterday, a bit more down time would have been lovely in their case.

The tunnel in which Kisame walked swiftly down was narrow and had an impenetrable darkness that crawled up and over him like a living creature, the floor was also layered with dangers for a person's feet, the rocks sticking up caught Kisame's feet more than once.

At last, a shimmer came far in front of the shark man's form, catching the sides of the walkway Kisame bent his head into the small cavern that was his partners room.

Itachi sat on the floor, a shirt crisply folded in his lap, flashlight held carefully between fingertips as Itachi turned a pair of glasses this way and that in deep thought. Sharingan eyes peering over each detail of the product as if trying to figure out some huge secret that the glasses contained.

"Itachi," the sharingan-along with the flashlight-were turned on the other, yellow meeting red in the dim light as Kisame was blinded and was forced to look up from the light. "Leader has called a meeting, come on." Sharp teeth glinted from the glare of the light as he spoke.

Not allowing his eyes to squint, Itachi nodded, standing in one fluent motion. There was a small amount of hesitance before the glasses were slid onto the Uchiha's face, giving a few blinks to get used to the precision of vision they supplied him with.

"You look like-"

"-A severely handsome professor at a college?" Itachi's question was quick leaving Kisame blinking in complete confusion as he fought to stare through the light of the flashlight.

"A _professor_? What are you talking about, Itachi?" Kisame tilted his head, baring his teeth in an astonished frown.

Itachi seemed equally perplexed with his rapid response. "..I'm not sure where that came from…" That was all the Uchiha would say on the subject, seeming worried over the words he'd chosen, as if they'd been triggered by a memory, but for the life of him, Itachi couldn't remember.

* * *

"So what, they forgot anyway!" Pulling my hair in vain I bit my bottom lip. There were too many ways in which they could have forgotten! The jutsu could have made them forget for all I knew!

But there was one thing I was positive about: I had no idea what to do. The strategy had been to get to the ninja world, find the Akatsuki, and… well, that part hadn't been thought out at the time, but these facts changed the entire plan, what was there to be done?

A wet trail slipped down the cheek, only to be caught and wiped up by my index, indicating that the liquid was a tear.

Wiping away the wetness from around my eyes, I decided to make a final decision concerning the Akatsuki later, right now I was tired, had a headache, and needed a safe place for the night. However, when the thoughts of the Akatsuki were pushed down, there came a separate voice inside my head, it was tiny and hushed so that it was barely audible.

 _"They forgot you on purpose, you can sense it...can't you?"_ There was no recognition of who this voice belonged to; shaking the head angrily I stared back up at the sky and forced myself to clear my mind.

One minute went by.

Then two minutes.

At three minutes the brain had calmed down the rapid thoughts that resembled the speed of a light, the questionable voice was gone as if that one sentence of doubt was its only mission.

 _"Must remain calm."_ Licking the dry lips I irritably looked around the forest, a corner of a house was just visible between the trees.

There was a cry of unhappiness from my legs that was ignored as I stalked over to the house, a bit too emotional to really care if there was an enemy nearby.

It took a second to realize that this house was one of many, branching out to the left, right and towards the middle, but the one thing that struck me was that the place was dead silent. Any sense of alarm because of the deserted house was erased as anger took over my senses, only a glare was thrown back at this fearfulness, bringing my eyes back to the house and take note of whatever was scaring me. The place was nice and tidy from the outside, gray walls with a black tile atop it, grass shifted in the breeze that suddenly grew stronger. The wind howled as if in pain, it brushed under my nose and I froze. There was a feeling of dread crowding at the wall of exasperation I'd created, trying to make cracks of terror that were beginning to take effect. The smell that lovingly ghosted throughout the air currents was the stench of fresh blood, strong and dense that I could almost taste it on my tongue.

Either someone was hurt, or a battle had just gone down nearby.

Any anger-that had tried to stay clung to my being-quickly fled the opposite way as pure fear curled around my stomach like a live viper. Conflicting the smell of death in the air, the house seemed perfectly normal in retrospect. I almost wanted the anger back, it had given me courage and a sense of calm when thrown into this unknown environment.

* * *

Sasori was a bit irked; Leader had gone and asked White Zetsu to get puppet making supplies for him and then when the redhead finally gets down to work, what does that leader decide to do? Call a stupid meeting. Talk about being rude, Sasori had half a mind to just stay in his cave, but that was his human side talking which was a new sensation after years of being a puppet. Normally the puppetmaster would have sighed and gotten up since he disliked keeping people waiting, but that had been the puppet years where high rolls of emotion were nonexistent, now it was like his emotions were trying to take over, it was almost as annoying as the pointless gathering.

Shuffling through the cave, the puppetmaster gave a shiver at the coldness, why did every cave have to be so freezing? Sasori was suddenly wishing he could take back his words of waiting to become a puppet, he was always warm then.

 _"Might as well get used to being human… at least for a while."_

Stepping across the uneven ground, Sasori tripped a couple of times, beginning to get more and more annoyed until the final stumble sent him sprawling out across the ground, banging his head against the floor with precision.

Groaning at the sharp rocks poking at the fleshy skin and painfully jabbing into his groin; Sasori sat up when something round jutted into his skin. The object that had probably bruised his shin was in one of the pockets on the cloak the puppetmaster bore. Digging into the pocket, Sasori produced a ring he'd put in there earlier after finding it on his ring finger. The ring was quite curious, it was almost like the one, that he'd worn before his death, but unlike the old one this ring was a shiny bronze with the respected Japanese symbol engraved on its smooth surface.

As the puppetmaster stared into the glossy surface of the ring, he seemed to get lost in the object before reeling back in shock as a face appeared on the surface. Reddish brown eyes looked around the tunnel he was in, but there was no one with him in the darkness. Biting his lip Sasori stared at the ring once more, but the girl with blue eyes didn't appear again.

* * *

Deciding to go and search the deserted town for food, I trudged around the house trying to make my footsteps as silent as the grave… that doesn't mean they were exceptionally noiseless. Putting a hand on the stone fence I made my way around the house, through the nicely trim grass. Rubbing my fingers across the smooth stone, they suddenly found a groove that dipped into a gouge that felt different from the wall itself.  
Turning my gaze from the ground to the wall, I squinted to peer at the shadowed wall. As if trying to aide the search, a cloud shifted away from the full moon, bringing forth loving rays to touch everywhere, including the wall my hand was pressed to.

The symbol was one I knew very well, it had a rounded top and a white skinny bottom, a fan, the mark of the Uchiha clan.

There was a second of confusion as my scattered brain tried to fit together the pieces of what was going on. It wasn't surprising that I'd teleported here, I hadn't specified where to go when the teleportation had happened.

* * *

White Zetsu had no clue what the meeting was about, Black Zetsu had just caught him by the shoulder and told him to that Pain wanted to assemble all the members in the main room. At the thought of running around more made the white being sag slightly, he'd been doing errands all day for the Akatsuki members and wanted his well-deserved break. But if Pain wanted this on such short notice, then White Zetsu had no choice because the possibility of Pain talking things over with Obito had surely happened by now.

With all the members in the main room, White Zetsu now could lean against the wall and give his tired feet a break, he should have just morphed through the ground to gather the members, that would have been much smarter than tiring himself out like this.

Like the white being, all the other Akatsuki members were leaning up against different walls, some like Deidara, Kakuzu, and Hidan were on the same wall while others (Sasori) stayed on their wall all alone.

"Pain called a meeting?" White Zetsu turned his head to find the actual Akatsuki leader coming up to stand by him, Obito with his white mask had snuck into the room without any of the other members noticing.  
White Zetsu blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about? Aren't you the one who told Nagato to call this meeting?"  
"No." One green eye widened as the two shared a look. The white being turned his head and noticed Black Zetsu rising up from the ground in the middle of the room, there was no sign of Pain.

Allowing his body to finish its ascend, the black being finally stood up straight, turning to make sure everyone was there with his one eye.

 **"Akatsuki, I have some bad news."** Black Zetsu closed his eye as if mourning the thought he was about to voice out loud. With the way the green eye closed and how his face squished up near the mouth, White Zetsu knew that something truly bad and rattling had happened for Black Zetsu to actually seem sad.

 **"Pain is dead."**

* * *

Tracing the Uchiha symbol with a free hand I turned my gaze to strain its view over the fence, but-since I was short-not much was seen but the roof of the other residence. _"But why would the Uchiha place smell of blood?..."_ Not really wanting to check myself, I sought my brain's memory on Naruto's younger years, this had to be in the show, which meant that somewhere my brain would recall it. When I reached Sasuke's background it all became clear what was happening right now. In my mind's eye, I saw the Uchiha clan's houses and walkways splattered with blood and dead citizens lining the streets.

"Oh no…" Like a deadly disease, freezing fear grasped up my spine in a firm grip. Shivering I backed away from the house, pressing my shoulder to the wall as I did as if that wall was the only thing keeping my form from dropping to the ground in hope to hide. But concealing myself in the forest seemed like a better bet than the open spot where I now stood.

* * *

"What the hell do you mean he's fucking dead?" Hidan was completely shocked as he glared up at Black Zetsu who seemed to have gotten over his sorrow in only two seconds.

Obito swallowed, trying to understand what he'd just heard. Nagato was dead? How in the world had that occurred? The Akatsuki leader wanted nothing more than to ask who had done it, but Obito kept his head down in deep thought.

None of the Akatsuki members were strong enough to kill Nagato, yes the rinnegan user had seemed weaker than usual but… why would any of the members kill him? It didn't make any sense, what could they gain from it? They'd all just been brought back to life, all their abilities were not very strong at the moment.

Obito hated being confused, he liked to think he was an intelligent man, but times like this didn't bode well on his conscious.

If Nagato was dead… did that mean Obito had to become the actual leader that everyone knew about? That idea didn't have much merit for the Uchiha at the moment, but if there was no other choice…

"Why should we care about this exactly?" Most eyes were turned to Sasori who had wrapped his arms around his chest. "He's dead, we move on." Black Zetsu blinked down on the puppetmaster, not seeming at all surprised at the lack of compassion for their past leader.

 **"I'm not saying you should care about the death of the leader, I'm asking you to care about _who_ killed him."**

* * *

If the memory served correct about the Uchiha massacre, then Itachi Uchiha was probably lurking somewhere close by. There was a sense of joy at the thought of seeing the raven again, but I instantly remembered that with the state he was in… he'd probably kill me without hesitation, especially if Itachi thought I was a witness to the slaughter of his clan.

How in the world had my teleporting send me back in time!? Yeah, I hadn't specified where to go but _through time?!_ Mental facepalm for my stupid brain, this time frame could be ten times worse than the situation I'd just come from.

With each step backward, eyes surveyed the area every few seconds before regrouping at the house, silencing wishing that I could teleport back to the normal time. The place I'd been filled all thoughts, and my mental words of normal time, was said over and over in much repetition… but nothing happened.

Gritting my teeth I swore under my breath, this was the last place I wanted to be, hadn't I already state that I hate the thought of being killed by someone I loved? Surely Itachi wasn't in a talkative mood right now.

 _"Why won't it work?!...Haven't I practiced it enough for it to just follow orders?"_ Now was a bad time for this to be happening. A very bad time.

* * *

 **"For someone to be able to kill Pain… that is no easy feat."** Black Zetsu talked with no hint of emotion, but on the inside he was grinning like a madman, already having the party of succession inside his brain. **"If one of you were to kill said person who murdered Pain, you'd surely prove how strong you and your abilities are."** Black Zetsu almost snickered at the interested glint in Hidan and Deidara's eyes as the gazed down, one down at his scythe, and the other down at his palm mouths with a grin.

"Black Zetsu, I have a better idea." One green eye swiveled to meet his counterpart who had risen one arm in a suggestive manner. "If this person was strong enough to kill Pain, then wouldn't it be in the Akatsuki's best interest to bring this killer into the group? Right now we need as many strong members as we can get for the war."  
"I second this motion, hm," Deidara said quickly, seeming to think that he'd still be able to fight whoever this was if they were in the group.

Obito seemed to take a second think about it before sighing.

"Tobi seconds this as well!" Black Zetsu mentally growled at the terrorist and the Akatsuki leader's interruption. Deidara nearly stumbled in his haste to turn towards the squeaky voice, not only because that high tone was unforgettable but also because he'd said 'Tobi'.

When Tobi turned his mask to meet Deidara's stare, he gave a laugh and a hesitant wave, seeming to swallow so that his voice would go that high. Deidara shook his head, rolling his eyes skyward to the roof of the cave as if no matter how much time had passed, Tobi was a thorn that would never leave his side.

Black Zetsu tapped his foot in annoyance but was ignored as the other members began agreeing with Deidara and Tobi.

"Then I guess it is decided. Tomorrow we'll set out to find this person, I can still sense their chakra…" White Zetsu turned towards the outside of the cave.

"Wait!" Hidan blinked rapidly. "Is the person we're talking about the bitch we fought outside earlier?"  
Black Zetsu's eye was twitching, fists trembling at his side as a quick jerking nod was given.

Deidara blinked. "You must be kidding?"  
"That fucking weakling?!" Hidan burst out laughing, beating the end of his scythe into the ground as he reeled forward in laughter.

White Zetsu turned towards Hidan, Kakuzu, and Deidara with a considerate look. "So you three know what this person looks like? That will be useful in the search."

Finally, Black Zetsu found his voice.

 **"You're forgetting that our war is starting soon, we have no time to go and bring them into the Akatsuki."**  
"Just as we don't have time to go and find this person to kill them, at least we get something out of it." White Zetsu frowned, showing a backbone as he talked back to his other side with quick responses.  
Black Zetsu didn't seem to know what to say to that so he stayed silent.

 ** _"Damn you, White Zetsu."_** In Black Zetsu's mind, he could see his trembling fist right now, gripping around the white being neck, snapping it like a stick.

* * *

I kept one hand behind me in hope to eventually feel the leaves of the forest from behind as I walked backward. Continuing a few more steps, I took one final big one in hope to finally feel the forest but my back and arm met a firm object that bumped into hand blindly grasped the object in hope that it was tree trunk, it wasn't. Fabric met my hand as it cupped around what seemed to be the bottom of a shirt. All breathing ceased as my body froze.

The left hand was torn from the shirt and bent up across my spine in a position that could easily break the arm if it was yanked upwards, there was a yelp of pain at the sensation. The person's other hand brought a kunai up to the thin skin of my neck; I could feel myself tremble at the sharp sensation of that weapon being so easily brandished to such a vulnerable spot on my person.

"Who are you, and what did you see?" The voice was hushed, demanding, and familiar, I didn't need to hear it twice to know who it was.

An urge to turn around and hug the person in a tight embrace was swiftly quieted, now certainly wasn't the time to be thinking of the Akatsuki I knew and loved, especially if this was a different time frame.

The blade was pressed tighter to the skin as my chakra unconsciously laced up to the knife, through the blade and lovingly caressed the hand that held it.

The man behind me seemed almost confused at the reaction my chakra had given him, but didn't allow it to show as the blade was traced across the neck in an almost teasing way; there was a small yank on the arm that was bent awkwardly, I couldn't stop the squeak of pain that followed the harsh motion.

"Speak, or I'll kill you."  
Turning slightly, blue eyes met sharingan that blazed back at me with great intensity. Black hair framed the teens face as his red eyes stared at my marble ones; throughout the gaze I gave him, there was only affection for the raven behind me.

I could care less if he was about to kill me, there was peace at the closeness and I quietly accepted the fact that I might be fated to die right here.

 _"Itachi…"_

* * *

 **Author:** I cannot begin to tell you how annoying this chapter was to me! But who cares!? Alright, I have some announcements for all my lovely readers, first off the POLL is still going, go and vote for the character that you would like May to have her first child with, you can vote twice! Second I began a knew story, a Naruto crossover with Pokemon featuring Deidara as the main character, so if any of you are interested it is there for you to read! Its called: Go Get 'Em Blondie!

Also if any of you were confused that Itachi seemed to be at the meeting but also at the compound where May is, it was stated a few times that May accidentally time traveled back into the past, to when the Uchiha massacre happened. So this is the past Itachi, the Itachi at the meeting is our normal time, Itachi. Sorry if that confused any of you! Just remember that it is the same Itachi, just different time frames.

See ya all later, love ya!

-Jinx of the desert


	6. In Which Our Past Issues

**-J-**

* * *

6: In Which Our Past Issues

Akatsuki's Time: May 17

May's Time: -?-

* * *

I was having a vivid stare down with a teenager.

Not just any teenager either, one Itachi Uchiha to be a'hundred percent accurate.

If this was the Itachi who currently held no remembrance of me, this situation might have gone a little differently. But, with one look at him, I knew that this wasn't my Itachi, memory or not. This Uchiha was much younger, dare I say, a teenager . . .age 17? Even if the age isn't accurate, there was one thing that I was sure about: the very sharp and real kunai outlining my neck.

He beheld such a dangerous aura that I couldn't help but remain frozen, barely able to breath.

"Perhaps I didn't make myself _clear_ ," that kunai was pressed harder, a tiny prick of pain flared up as something dripped down my neck, "You tell me, _right now_ _,_ what you saw at the compound." It took every ounce of my willpower not to scoff: _"Yeah, I'd tell you, then you'd kill me, right?"_ This wasn't the kind and loving Itachi that I'd known, the one who'd helped me make breakfast on a few occasions, not mentioning his warm gaze he'd had back then too; this Itachi was way different, if he thought that I'd seen him murder his entire clan or heard anything regarding his talk with Sasuke, then I was screwed.

The wet warm substance that had trickled down my neck, finally met the collar of the dirty jacket that was wrapped around my form, the lifeblood seeping into the fabric like a sponge. Survival mode was turned back on at the sight of the blood, it told me to scream, bite, and do whatever it took to get away from the raven, but something inside held me back with whispers of a reason why I shouldn't be trying to escape. What if I was meant to die here? What if _this_ was it? Shouldn't I just die at the hand of the Uchiha, end my story forever as the girl who fell in love and lost it all, just to fail in trying to reclaim it?...Sounds like a lame story that couldn't possibly be mine.

"I'm afraid that I don't understand your question." Wrenching my head as far as I could to look back on the Uchiha, our eyes stayed locked as I tried to put a front of appearing to be someone who was lost. "I merely came to ask the Uchiha clan a question. Is there a law that people aren't allowed in their compound, or something? If there is, I had no idea it existed." Young Itachi seemed unconvinced by the instant reply, those red eyes showed a mere image of myself as if they weren't eyes but two mirrors staring back at me. The mirror showed a pitiful girl, eyes wide with fear but with hope hidden under the curtain, her tiny smile dipped up in a kiddish way as if to prove she was no threat to the raven. I wasn't the only thing in those eyes either, past the scared looking girl was a coldness I didn't remember seeing in the other Itachi's gaze, it was like it was so void of emotion that he was soulless, no longer human in the way he blinked and breathed. Itachi Uchiha didn't seem human to me in this moment as those red eyes blinked, mirrors shutting off, leaving only the alien coldness that pierced my own in a way that made me tremble fiercely.

Besides the one time with Obito in the changing room, I'd never been scared of the Akatsuki members until today when I saw their killing personalities; but even when Hidan, Deidara, and Kakuzu had attacked me, their bloodlust didn't compare to the sheer coldness of Itachi's gaze, a gaze that showed the possibility of my upcoming demise.

"What question was so important that you came in the middle of the night?"

"Um.."

…..

Oh shit.

Hadn't thought that far.

 _"Dammit!"_

There was a high possibility of a heart attack as my mind tried in vain to find some reason, something, anything! All I could do was stare blankly at the Uchiha as hands tore apart my brain for an answer.

"Umm...w-well you see.." Why would someone come this late? What question would I have wanted to ask the Uchiha's? There was sweat appearing on my brow where the short hair brushed the sensitive skin, bottom lip viciously chewed as I rapidly thought. It had to be a good reason, not something stupid; if it seemed false in any way the Uchiha would certainly catch on and call me out on it, or, worse case scenario, kill me for lying.

"I was just-" Itachi was practically a statue as he awaited an answer from my form that was trying desperately not to tremble. Talk about serious stress, I'd never been good with pressure, it took all willpower not to freeze up and give the lamest reason in the book.

 _"Come on! Think! You have to answer him! Do you really want to die right here, by him?!"_ I think I might be going into shock, or hyperventilating, both could be happening for all I know, everything was hazy as if my body was about to keel over. The world was literally spinning, if it wasn't for Itachi I'd probably have dropped like a rag doll.

"You see, I was just..." Either Itachi hadn't noticed my shaking legs or was just ignoring the fact as my thick tongue seemed to swell and cut off the words.

"I'm waiting."

Inhale, exhale, one more time. After a few deep breaths, the brain seemed to calm down somewhat and I was able to come up with a response.

"I wanted to ask the Uchiha leader if he'd train me for a few weeks. I was never able to go to the Academy and…. I wanted to learn how to control my chakra better from what I've learned on my own." Time to applaud my over-worked brain!

Itachi didn't say anything as my body sagged against his in-complete relief. That had been the most stressful moment in all my life, forget presentations at school, this was even worse.

"Hm," Itachi blinked, repeated the action and sighed; when those eyes opened again his sharingan pulsed and I rapidly looked away knowing full well not to look him in the eye.

"How about the truth now."

 _"….I am so screwed."_

* * *

The meeting about Pain's death had been unimportant to Kakuzu; he'd respected the leader in a proper sense, but his death certainly wasn't personal to him in the least. Death happened all the time to people who weren't deathless, it had even happened to Kakuzu _and Hidan_ who both had been considered to be immortal. Someone dying wasn't a big deal to the older man, it no longer fazed him. Unlike his unemotional state towards Pain's death, Kakuzu had been surprised when he'd been told who had killed their leader; but he was even more shocked when he realized that the girl he'd tried to kill earlier-alongside Hidan and Deidara-was the one who had done Pain in.

Impressing Kakuzu was nearly impossible nowadays, but the knowledge of the attackers identity roused the older man, making him both curious and astonished at the same time; to think that such a pathetic young girl would've been able to defeat someone who called himself a god...of course, looks could be faulty in this sense, for all he knew, she could just _look_ weak, but in actuality be very strong. Fooling your enemy with appearance usually worked by making them think they had the upper hand which Deidara, Hidan, and Kakuzu had all done when they'd attacked her.

The plan to kill the girl interested Kakuzu in a way which he highly doubted she'd be able to be killed as easily as Black Zetsu let on, but when White Zetsu voiced his own opinion on the subject such as being able to get another member out of this circumstance, the older man agreed that this was the better option of the two. Even though the older man thought this to be a good idea, it didn't mean that he cared. Member or no member didn't make much difference to Kakuzu, as long as it would allow for them to win so that he could go back to making bounties again.

The startle of a god-like leader dying was nothing compared to how disturbing it was to watch Zetsu argue with himself.

Kakuzu had never seen Black Zetsu and White Zetsu disagree and quarrel with each other like this, yes, Black Zetsu was always blunt and rude-something the older man had learned to ignore-but White Zetsu had never been one for retaliation, actually if Kakuzu thought about it, he couldn't remember _ever_ seeing them fight like this... it was surprising. The white being had been persistent, which eventually paid off in the end when he won the argument, meaning that this girl would certainly be a new member; soon after, it was also decided that the original two man squads would be leaving tomorrow. At the mention of being able to go out into the world and possibly kill, Hidan had been all for leaving... but that quickly changed when he realized how much walking would be involved. It certainly did sound like a fair amount of traveling, but Kakuzu wasn't one to complain, especially if it got him out of the unpleasant cave for awhile.

Stretching, Kakuzu pulled his cloak on, sliding it over the stitches that held their bonds firm; once it was perfectly situated around the large man's shoulders, Kakuzu sat down on a stone that jutted out from the wall, it was both hard and bitterly cold thanks to the freezing weather outside. Blinking he cupped his chin with one hand leaning an elbow against his thigh and watched the snow fall outside the cave opening, white flakes descending like tiny fairies from above.

There was something about the snowflakes that reminded the older man of something… or someone, a place where it always seemed to snow, and there was a person who wasn't an Akatsuki member….a girl? Kakuzu narrowed his eyes in confusion at the thought, it was rare for him to forget things, so why did this memory not want to take formation?

"Hey, Kakuzu, you still have pretty eyes!"Kakuzu jolted up from his sitting position, looking around the main room for the speaker. Without a doubt, the voice had been female which didn't make any sense, currently, there were no women in the Akatsuki. His red and green eyes searched the entire layout of the main cavern but not even the other members were in the room.

Just like with the leaders death, a possible enemy intrusion wouldn't have fazed Kakuzu, going so far as to not even respond to the enemy until they had tried to attack him; but this poised version of Kakuzu wasn't how things went down, his first reaction was to jump up, ready to defend someone that hadn't been himself...that wasn't normal. Yes he always was on guard for an opponent but he never allowed for the attacker to see that he'd been startled by them, or protect someone as an immediate first thought. The complication seemed to be the voice, consciously Kakuzu hadn't recognized the foreign feminine tone at all, but subconsciously he had risen with the intent to protect….the girl who'd been in the area where it snowed, a woman he couldn't remember. When Kakuzu tried to force his mind to focus on the blurred outline of this female in his headd, all it did was ignore his wants and obscure the memory even more.

Sighing, Kakuzu made a mental note to talk to Zetsu later about possible memory losses regarding the jutsu used to bring them back to life.

It wasn't like him to worry so much, but having a part of his memory not jump to attention was worrisome, Kakuzu knew he was old, even so, his mind shouldn't be forgetting anything; not being able to recall this recollection made the older man very uneasy.

Kakuzu swallowed, maybe he just needed some more sleep…

* * *

Well, straight out lying to the Uchiha hadn't worked, but telling him the genuine truth wouldn't help much either, who knew what Itachi would do if I told him that I was from the future. Maybe, I somehow could morph the truth, in a way that was honest but kept the details to a bare minimum.

When Itachi had first caught me off guard, I'd been freaking out, going into an immediate panic that had disabled my ability to think calmly. But now, given a few minutes, both mind and body had calmed down somewhat. The tension in my muscles slacked as my body relaxed in the raven's arms, taking a deep breath I released the tight hold my teeth had claimed on my bottom lip. There was no point in panicking, that's what would give me away to Itachi, one slip up and I would crash to the ground with a slit throat.

Marble blue eyes met red once more as I looked at him with sincerity.

"People that I loved tried to kill me." That was the barest truth I could give him without relying too much on detail, hopefully, Itachi would just accept that much. "I was seeking shelter for the night." If my eyes hadn't been trained on Itachi's face, I would have missed the twitch that crossed over his expression, as if he wasn't positive on whether I was being honest with him.

"Why would they try to kill you?"

Such a simple question and yet there was a tug of sadness coursing throughout my stomach at the reminder that the Akatsuki's memories were gone.

"...They lost their memories of me, you see. They believe me to be the enemy…" I bit my lip to keep a small tremble from entering my voice, this wasn't the time to cry about anything. I had to grow up and keep calm.

Based on Itachi's stance, his hold on his weapon, the way his eyes glared, he didn't believe my words at all.

"I mean, having people that you loved and suddenly…. They have no clue who you are... I just thought our love was stronger than that, ya know?" Eyes closing I tried to reel in the tears that were forming at the outline of my eyes, now wasn't the time, I had to stop. "I don't even know if they forgot on purpose or not." There was a whimper as a single tear slipped down my cheek where it lazily curled down to meet the tip of the kunai, mixing both my blood and tear together.

Suddenly it was as if I wasn't a prisoner in the arms of the Uchiha-the entire world was vanishing along with the weight of Itachi's arms-all I could see was the Akatsuki standing in front of me, turning their backs like they had in the dream I'd had only a few days ago.

 _The Akatsuki's normal wet clothes seemed to wash away to be replaced with that of the Akatsuki cloak, red clouds blinding from the black backgrounds; when all wore the cloak, the Akatsuki turned away from May._

 _Pain-orange hair plastered to his head-sent May a puzzled look. "You're not in the Akatsuki, who are you, girl?" Just as May's confusion came on, the Akatsuki were morphing into the reach of black arms till she blinked and they all had vanished from the island._

In the end, the dream had spoken the truth of what would eventually happen between me and the Akatsuki. They'd eventually all leave me behind, forgotten, forever. The heart was beating painfully in my chest as I pictured them turning away over and over again, repentingly watching as it tortured my mind.

Was what we'd had…. All so unimportant that they could forget like this?!

I failed to notice that the kunai's force had lessened across my neck.

* * *

The night breeze became cold as it fought to dry the tears atop May's cheeks, it proved to be successful as each glistening sphere became a simple streak across her face. To the naked eye, all that seemed left of the girls sadness was a small sniff the emanated from the blonde who blinked a few times just in case more tears would threaten to fall again. Mentally, May wasn't doing that great.

Pressed against Itachi, May was ashamed in allowing herself to cry like this, to an Itachi who didn't even know who she was.

The raven must think she was an emotional nutcase.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you witness that, please forgive me I…." Itachi's lip was swallowed as May bit her tongue to make sure the name didn't slip.

"You went through an emotional time… it's to be expected." Was May imagining things or had the Uchiha just released his tight hold on her arm and removed the kunai from her neck? Surprised and free, the blonde turned around to face the raven, who had placed the kunai into his back pocket and was looking May up and down as if deep in thought and debating a thought.

"Tell me, how much did these others love you?"

 _"So Itachi wants to know more about me, huh?"_ Hands suddenly sweaty, she rubbed the palms against her pants in an attempt to dry them. If she kept names hidden, then telling Itachi would be ok….well that's what May hoped was to be true.

"They loved me enough to ask me to marry them." In a way, Itachi didn't seem to be collecting information to hold against May-from what she could sense anyway-he seemed to be trying to unravel a mystery that had sparked an interest in him.

"They all loved you enough to ask for your hand in marriage, huh?" Itachi turned his gaze to the starry sky as if he'd seen enough of May. "Then why are you doubting them?" She'd been doubting the Akatsuki this entire time when they'd always believed in her when she needed them.

May's heart gave a pitiful beat as she cupped both arms to her chest.

"You might want to ask yourself if they _would_ have forgotten you by choice." Itachi turned to look at May who was glaring at the ground with sorrow, realizing how blind she'd been.

 _"Hidan, Kakuzu, Itachi, Kisame, Deidara, Sasori, Obito, Nagato…. I am so sorry. I can't believe I allowed myself to doubt you all so much!"_ All the sorrow inside May was swimming around, roaming free before latching onto a new thought. If the Akatsuki hadn't forgotten her then there was only one other possibility.

"Was there anyone you knew that could have made them forget about you?" Itachi hit the mark, he could see it in the blondes eyes as her frown turned to a hard line.

The raven sighed realizing that it was getting late, he couldn't spend all night giving advice to the girl, people would soon be waking in a few hours and happen upon the Uchiha compound, and by then he needed to be many miles away.

"I must be leaving you now." Itachi turned away from the girl, his sense still trained on her just in case this emotional girl was just a front and she would attack when his back was turned.

But there was no sudden attack or weapon flashed from a hidden spot on her person, there was only silence aside from the wind rushing through the trees causing some to fall from the branches and circle around them in a rotating dance.

"Also," the raven stood there as he sensed the girl turn her head to face the compound, "I hope that everything works out for you in the end."

"You as well," these words hinted at something making Itachi turn his head back to stare at the girl who had returned her gaze from where the buildings lay beyond the trees to look into his eyes; with only a single glance Itachi knew that this girl knew.

She knew what he'd done at the compound and wasn't attacking him for it. She seemed sad for him more so than angry.

…. There was a part of him that suddenly became very suspicious as he turned around to face her once more, one hand nearing the spot he'd placed his kunai.

Both hands clasping together in front of her, May noticed the sudden change in Itachi's stance and knew that this was a good time to leave, however, it seemed that her teleporting only worked when she was in danger… well she may as well check it out now, no better time than the present.

Throwing all caution to the wind, May knew she had to get the Uchiha to attack her if she were to jump through time once more. The blonde really didn't want to antagonize him but there was nothing else she could do, and May didn't want to stay in this time. Itachi had given her hope for her and the Akatsuki's relationship, she had to try.

Pulling one leg behind her in a defense stance that mirrored the ravens somewhat, May wished her backpack held something that could be used as a weapon.  
"Well Itachi Uchiha, come on and end this like you did your clan!" It was a mean thing to say but it was all May could think of.

The kunai was swung out as Itachi's suspicions became true, he now had to kill the girl whether he wanted to or not. All liabilities had to be taken care of regarding this massacre, no one could know the truth besides the council.

Survival mode screamed for May to duck from the weapon nearing her skull, but the body remained still as her eyes latched onto Itachi's sharingan.

The kunai's tip had just reached the smooth forehead when May's body suddenly flickered and vanished.

Surprised, the raven pulled back, doing a backflip to land a few feet away where he straightened to turn in every direction, listening for the way the sound of feet running away.

The forest, however, was silent to the Uchiha's ears.

The girl was gone.

Itachi frowned.

"A liability just got away." Pinching the bridge of his nose Itachi ran off to search the woods, and search he would for many hours, but it wasn't in the ravens favor to find May.

However, he'd be meeting her soon enough. In seven years to be precise, but _they_ didn't know that.

* * *

 **Author** : The poll is still open for you all to go vote on who you want May to have her first child with, you can vote two times; so if you haven't you really should if you get the chance :)

Question of the day for you all: what would be some cool, symbolic ways for the Akatsuki members to get their memories of May back? And I don't mean as a whole, I mean each individual remebering.

Thank you all for keeping up the story and my sporadic updating. The next chapter should be up either in the next few days or in the weekend, depends on when I can find time.

See ya all later, love ya.

-Jinx of the desert


	7. In Which Our Differences

**-J-**

* * *

7: In Which Our Differences

Akatsuki's Time: May 18 -Night-

May's Time: Uchiha Massacre

* * *

At first, the images were blurry as if they were in the making at that exact moment, then shapes and color came in to try and better the quality of his site, and finally the last touches were made to bring together the entire memory:

"Perhaps I didn't make myself _clear_ ," wrapped in his arms was a girl with platinum hair that was crudely cut around her head. Now the way the raven held her certainly wasn't intimate, her back would have been flush against the Uchiha's if it wasn't for his arm that had pinned the girl's arm against her back, parallel to her spine. The other hand held a kunai that was offensively tracing the front of her neck, the tip of the blade had already cut a thin layer of skin, producing a narrow stream of blood that sluggishly advanced down the curve of the throat. "You tell me _right now_ _,_ what you saw at the compound."

One of the most prominent and confusing features of the blonde were her eyes. Those two eyes of hers were like blue marble, an eye that might have hidden her emotions once, now they were full of fear and something that shouldn't have been there: tenderness.

This mixed look was overcome as both eyes took on a distant gleam, pupils focused on the raven's face like she was peering at him, but they were unfocused and looked through him.

So far gone into her mind for an answer that Itachi was given a minute to freely take in her form without that weird tender look she'd had staring back at him.

Like most women she truly wasn't plain, but she also wasn't drop dead gorgeous; there certainly were defined curves silhouetting her form, though the plumpness of her stomach nearly mirrored the breasts that formed her large chest.

Without the questionable look, she'd given him earlier, the eyes themselves were intriguing with their compelling bright blue that was layered with hints of other colors around the edges.

Besides the eyes, another feature that was curious about the blonde, was the face; Itachi would venture that she was older than him by two years, but in reality, he wasn't sure, the face she carried seemed more mature than the age she presented, if the Uchiha were to describe the look characteristics in a few words, he'd use: worn out. This look proved that past days hadn't been good to her at all, maybe she'd gone through an ordeal, now that would explain it.

"I'm afraid that I don't understand your question." Finally, both glassy eyes refocused on the raven, trying to give her gaze a sheer gleam of lostness, that would prove her predicament profusely; this tone of voice and gleam would have fooled anyone else, not Itachi, who solely noticed that she was familiar with his face structure. "I merely came to ask the Uchiha clan a question. Is there a law that people aren't allowed in their compound, or something? If there is, I had no idea it existed." Everything about the girl's answer was false from Itachi's view, aware of the disarray that coated her breathing rhythm before she'd even spoken.

Was this girl just mocking him? Or did she believe that he was just some stupid ninja with a plant for a brain?

The tiny smile she gave him was the last straw, it was way too innocent, there could be no coincidences on a night like this.

"What question was so important that you came in the middle of the night?"

There was a series of stuttering and fearful glances as she desperately tried to think of a way to answer his question, Itachi watched with a stone face, giving her the time she needed to come up with a fake reason.

There were mumbles of words that couldn't be jumbled into a full sentence and were hushed; Itachi's hand that held the kunai was beginning to grow tired and his shoulder was beginning to ache from the aggressive stance, he was also emotionally tired he was after killing his entire clan. Not to mention having to watch and hurt his dear, lovable little brother…..

 _"Sasuke…...forgive me…"_

Sasuke was just another reason to leave as quickly as possible, if he lingered any longer Itachi might begin to have doubts, this wouldn't be acceptable.

"I'm waiting."

At the sound of his voice, the girl seemed to leave the deep caverns of her mind. Itachi's chest and stomach met the blonde's back with each exhale that was made.  
"I wanted to ask the Uchiha leader if he'd train me for a few weeks. I was never able to go to the Academy and…. wanted to learn how to control my chakra better from what I've learned on my own." If Itachi wasn't completely in control of his emotions, he would have scoffed and rolled his eyes at the pathetic excuse.

 _"If she's willing to lie like this…. Then what did she see?"_ This was the only thought Itachi went over as the girl's entire weight sagged against his in relief, seeming to believe that she'd won over the Uchiha's trust. Someone that wasn't prepared to tell the truth instantly, couldn't be trusted in Itachi's mind. This response only told him one thing: she'd certainly seen something. Whether it be killing everyone, talking to Sasuke, or both, if she'd seen or heard even a small bit… all liabilities had to be _taken care of._

"Hm," blinking a few times, Itachi's sharingan pulsed at the girl who swiftly evaded eye contact, this engrossed the Uchiha thoroughly. If she knew not to look at a sharingan eye, then her reason for wanting them to teach her wasn't too far fetch….or it could prove it faulty, either way, Itachi still didn't believe her.

"How about the truth now."

Layers of fear and stress crossed over the girl's face.

There was something about her…

 _"You look like a severely handsome professor at a college."_

The young blonde's features...

 _"Then I would like you to promise me something, Itachi."_

Vivid blue eyes that sparked….

 _"Itachi...when you return to the ninja world, I want_ you _to_ live."

The face of a girl…..

Of a…..May...

. . . . . . . . .

The dream was fading, the girls image scattering before his mind's eye... a memory that was taking root deep inside.

With one swift moment, Itachi's black eyes opened, neither blinking as he stared up at the rocky ceiling of his new room/cave.

He could still hear the soft feminine tone in his ears, communicating to him in a voice morphed by his own brain as if it was trying to hide these words from him.

The harder his stare pierced overhead the more the ceiling became more than just a wall of rock; whether the raven was still somewhat asleep or fully awake no longer mattered to Itachi as he watched the stone twitch and stretch, morphing to show the girl.

Same rounded face, same form, and same vivid, tender eyes; definitely the same girl from his dreams. Unlike the time he'd met her at the compound, she was in a hospital bed, gazing warmly at him with a tired smile gracing those two thin lips. Her mouth began to move as if she were talking to him… or whoever she was really looking at; just watching the way she moved and talked Itachi came to the conclusion that she was more familiar then the dream had shown him…. Besides the Uchiha massacre, was it possible that he'd known her from somewhere else?

Yes, as soon as Itachi had pushed aside the curtain of sleep, he'd known meeting the girl wasn't a dream but a memory.

Everything else aside, there was one fact that was starting to really irk the raven; hours ago, Itachi had taken it upon himself to go and familiarize himself with the leftover chakra the girl Hidan, Deidara, and Kakuzu, had fought. The chakra was a bit different than one's he'd felt in the past, it was warm, loving, and yet strong as if proclaiming that it wasn't to be messed with. This was the first time Itachi had ever come across such an affectionate chakra signature, so he'd instantly recognized it in his dream; the girl who he'd found at the compound had had the same chakra.

That could only mean that it was the same girl.

Itachi's eyes narrowed, how in the world could it possibly be the same blonde from all those years ago? He'd even sought Kakuzu out to ask what she'd looked like; what the older man had described fit the girl at the compound perfectly. The blonde certainly hadn't aged even though it had been ten years since that day, which pointed towards her being immortal….

 _"People that I loved tried to kill me."_ That's what she'd said with such honesty and hurt that Itachi had known she wasn't lying.

….And the same girl in looks had battled Kakuzu, Hidan, and Deidara. Was it really all one big coincidence? Could Itachi afford to think like that, that these two individual meetings hadn't been connected?

 _"...They lost their memories of me, you see. They believe me to be the enemy.."_

Being immortal wasn't a big stretch these days, it could be possible, but if something like _that_ was viable then being able to transfer through time wasn't that much of a stretch.

From the way she'd spoken about being attacked by people she loved, had the girl meant the three Akatsuki members that had attacked her? The sentence concerning that they'd lost their memories interested the Uchiha as well.

Slowly, the puzzle was fitting together, but still so many pieces wouldn't fit in spots Itachi thought they would.

The visions of the girl in the hospital bed, and the strange glasses that were next to Itachi's make-shift bed, both these proved that her words were true.

But if they had known her, why had they forgotten her? Who was she? And ally or an enemy? You'd think the latter since Black Zetsu had been so adamant on killing her; Black Zetsu had never been wrong before and-besides Madara-he was one of the oldest members.  
Itachi sighed, pulling the covers closer to his neck as he turned over to go back to sleep.

Two black eyes slid shut, one hand unconsciously going to cup around his right ring finger, rubbing the thumb and index around the bronze band of his ring.

* * *

Obito felt like shit.

Scratch _that_ , he felt worse than shit, he was nauseous, fatigued, and had had a pounding headache ever since he'd woken up after the jutsu. The Akatsuki leader wasn't even sure how he'd fainted during the ritual, Obito had been positive that he'd been standing next to Zetsu the entire time, but after the bright light had filled the cave his mind grew hazy and couldn't recall any more details.

Only one day had passed since the Akatsuki had been revived, and everything seemed to be going wrong; it had all started with Nagato's death.

Obito truly didn't understand how and why someone would kill Nagato, especially based on what Hidan had said about the girl being weak… but everyone was weak to him so the Akatsuki leader hadn't really believed him until Kakuzu had seconded the claim. This made Nagato's death even more peculiar, first off this girl had been a stranger-who couldn't have possibly known the Akatsuki had been revived-and Nagato was strong, one of the strongest and most gullible shinobi Obito had ever met, with his memory wiped clean of the Leaf village fiasco, he should have been a loyal follower once more and wouldn't have laid down his life so easily for anyone.

It took a second for the masked man to realize that he'd been tracing the ring that circled around his thumb; he glanced down at the unmarked band, so smooth and shiny that Obito could see a distorted reflection of himself in the polished edges.

The Akatsuki leader sighed, finally allowing for his body to sit down on his blankets that layered a small spot on the floor. Even with the darkness and the warm blankets, Obito couldn't ease his tension away, there were too many things going on that made his mind alive in the black shadows, too many unanswered questions.

"You might want to calm down." Obito's head snapped up, eyes wide as he peered at through the holes in his white mask, hands instinctively curled as he'd jumped to an offensive pose. His first thought was that Nagato's killer had finally shown up, but it was only White Zetsu who appeared from the blackened tunnel that led to his room. The white being was barely visible without any light, but his pale body could still be made out.

Once it had been discovered that it wasn't the killer, Obito sat back down on his blankets, raking a hand up to tear off the mask where he stared down at it. White Zetsu gave him a sympathetic look before coming to sit down next to his old friend.

"It'll be ok, Obito." The Akatsuki leader's real name was but a whisper so that it wouldn't carry down the tunnels and find itself being echoed into an unsuspecting members ear.

Obito brushed some hair back and took a few minutes to calm down.

"Nagato's death certainly was a tragedy," the white being began. "However something can be gained from this loss." Obito didn't say anything, White Zetsu cupped his hands together in his lap and continued. "That's why I fought Black Zetsu for the girl to be a new member; we cannot allow for such delays to hinder us, Obito." Even though his words were firm, Obito knew that White Zetsu didn't believe his own words since the white being had always been a bit more compassionate than his counterpart who thought all means were to an end.

The silence spanned between them, White Zetsu narrowed his eyes tiredly before rising up. "Anyway, sorry for the intrusion, I'm patrolling the hideout for the next two hours, best be on my-"

"White Zetsu," the white being closed his mouth and turned at the entrance to the tunnel to look back down on the Akatsuki leader. The mask was clutched in the Uchiha's hands. "Thank you, White Zetsu."

A look of shock came over the white beings face, before being replaced with a smile.

"You're welcome, Obito. Goodnight." And just like the other day White Zetsu walked back up the tunnel, humming that strange tune once more, something that-hours later-he would remember that the name of it was _Jingle Bells._

* * *

Earlier, Hidan had been insanely overjoyed at the prospect of killing someone, wanting to feel the scythe rip through a body, splattering both him and the handle with red hot blood. Ritual or not, he wanted to have that blood on his tongue, drinking up that delicious liquid like it was a sweet beverage.

This was the desire he brought with him when he'd first attacked that bitchy blonde haired girl, wanting desperately to just kill her and leave the carcass behind with red dripped everywhere. This desire hadn't gone according to how Hidan had imagined, and now he was left with unfilled impulses.

Groaning, the albino turned over in his thin blankets, he was severely annoyed, no matter how much he shifted or how many sheets were under him, Hidan just couldn't get comfortable on the rocky floor; lying on his back made certain rocks jab into his spine, his sides hadn't worked and he certainly didn't want to lie on his stomach right now.

However, this wasn't what was truly annoying him. Bed difficulties were nothing compared to the particular problem Hidan had right now.

It was a problem that had started almost as soon as he'd been revived, give or take a few hours.

The albino had always done fifteen to twenty rituals a week since the day he'd gained immortality to when he'd lost to that bastard leaf shinobi. Now killing people was what _truly_ brought Hidan pleasure, stabbing himself everywhere was the best foreplay he'd ever experienced, and then impaling himself through the heart! Hidan could get off just thinking about the powerful orgasm's he'd had over the years. They were so vivid and glorious that after his first time doing it, Hidan had stopped having intercourse with women, why spend hours finding a bitch when he could just find anyone to kill and do it himself? No, Hidan didn't see the point of sex when he had the rituals, he'd _always_ been satisfied during that time.

Losing the ability for the rituals and the immorality was only the tip of the iceberg; he'd lost the most important part about his abilities, translation: he was _very_ sex deprived, and his body had obvious ways of telling him this. This also was the reason why the albino didn't want to lay on his stomach.

Two minutes passed before Hidan couldn't stand it anymore, the covers shifted as he moved to enable one hand to duck into his pants where it skillfully brushed past the underwear to the warm skin below. With a moan the albino slid his hand up and down his manhood, taking a deep breath as his back arched against the hard

It certainly wasn't his normal way of doing things, but Hidan found this much better than nothing at all. "Fuuuuckkkk..." Another moan slipped out, purple eyes opening lazily to stare at the ceiling as he bucked upwards into his waiting hands.

Second by second his hand grew more frantic as it slid across his sensitive penis, his movements becoming violent in the simple task as he opened his mouth, rasping happily as he grunted at the strain of the coil tightening in his stomach. A tingling sensation grew up Hidan's arms, making him shiver in pleasure, the coil gave its final tug of firmness.

 _"You put Tobi to shame with your childish behavior, Hidan."_ A cold shiver ran down the albino's spine, ceasing the movement of his hand as he suddenly sat up to look around the room.

"Who the hell's there?" Retching the hand out of his pants, Hidan grasped blindly for the scythe that had its blades stuck into the ground, making it easy for the albino to pull it into his hands and sit into a crouch. Sexual desire rushed away as he peered around the dark corners of his room, there was no one there.

Hidan licked his lips, heart beating fast as the tense grip on the scythe lessoned. "Come on, if there's someone conceilin', how about you damn well come out?" No one manifested from those dark corners.

The feminine voice that had spoken was so familiar that Hidan suddenly felt exposed, he instantly thought back to the bitch that had killed Pain, the voice matching her own

The image of the girl was vivid in Hidan's head, and instead of the fear that had pulsed throughout his body only seconds ago, it was replaced with a strong desire to finish the battle between him and her. The albino shivered at the thought of killing her, watching those blue eyes widen as the last breath left those pink lips.

All sexual thoughts were gone as Hidan's body trembled in excitement. He laughed, swinging the scythe aggressively only to stick it back into the ground with a violent stabbing motion.

Out of the corner of his eye, Hidan caught sight of Kakuzu appearing in the tunnel outside his room, the man having shed his cloak now stood there in a black tank top and black pants that stopped below the older man's shins.

"Hidan, I don't give a damn what you do in here," blinking Hidan fully turned his head to stare at Kakuzu those red and green eyes glared at him with disgust as if the older man knew what his partner had recently been doing. "But be quiet, or I'll kill you, and _this time_ you'll stay dead."

Smirking, Hidan scoffed at the older man, lifting his eyebrows as he rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Pfft, whatever, Kakuzu. You sure you want me to be quiet though? You haven't heard my lovely voice for at least a year!"  
"I'd rather never hear your voice again, idiot." Face hidden by his customary half face mask, Kakuzu narrowed his eyes and turned back around where the shadows swallowed him back up.

"Yeah, yeah Kakuzu! We both know you missed me, I won't tell anyone!" Hidan laughed to himself before lying back down, and after checking around the room with quick eyes he fell asleep, not seeming to mind the hard floor and no longer having any physical problems he'd had before.

* * *

[May: New Time Zone]

The teleportation left me dizzy, my head was reeling in and out of consciousness, the blurred ground stretched and morphed in my eyesight like a slithering snake.

Both legs ached from landing in a fetal position, with the knees hitting the wooden floors first with a crack that made my body motionless as if the kneecaps were the trigger for turning off control the rest of the body, everything went numb with the flashing pain.

A couple of seconds passed before the pain dulled to a small roar and the numbness subsided, giving freeness to the aching limbs. When the icy touch of being numb wholly disappeared, both eyelids shot open, bright blue glinting as the pupils dilated from the light coming in from tiny windows above me. Blurriness faded away to show the wood floor that I'd landed on, it was firm and a boring shade of brown that-as I managed to flick my gaze up to peer down the hallway-made the walkway seem compared to its actual size.

Each individual knee gave off a noise,similar to that of a bone cracking when I used my left and right arms to push myself up from the ground. The ground dipped dangerously in my light headed state, legs buckling, causing me to stagger, barely catching myself on the wall before landing back onto the floor.

 _"Where am I now?"_ There were doors lining the left and right walls all the way down to where it turned to face a staircase, making it possible that it was a hotel or an office building. But I was only going off of appearances, one big problem with my _wonderful_ time traveling was that it was never specified where my person would end up next….that wasn't a good thing.

I was cupping the wall to keep wait for the dizzy spell to work its way out of my system when I heard the shuffle behind me. When first my body landed here, it was a hope that there was no one around to see me, to ask questions, to think something that wasn't true.

"Guess today isn't my lucky day." The hairs on the back of my neck prickled ever so slightly as these muttered words were spoken.

I really didn't want to turn around. It certainly could be someone who wouldn't care about my being here, but with my day, it could be Black Zetsu from the future waiting to kill me as soon as I turned around to face that direction.

Biting my lip, I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

On their own accord, both feet whirled me around to face whoever was there, hands tense as they both clutched at imaginary weapons for fake moral support.

Two people stood only ten feet away in the middle of the hall with their backs to me, one tall whilst the other was reasonably shorter than his comrade. They seemed to have been walking away from me, towards the end of the hall, but now they stood still as if they to had sensed my presence.

There was an ache in my chest when I caught site of their clothes, immediately drawn to their Akatsuki cloaks that clung to their forms, hiding their bodies underneath, the red clouds gave off their own glow as if scorning my being here.

The cloth seemed to whisper with the movement of the people wearing them, as they turned to face me; two pairs of eyes met mine, the taller member had yellow beady eyes and a wide grin as he gazed down at me, and the shorter one held dark emotionless eyes that blinked in recognition at the site of me.

"Well, well, we meet again," Itachi Uchiha stated as his eyes bore into mine, his partner, Kisame, looked between me and Itachi and back again to show off a smirk.

"You know this girl, Itachi?" The raven didn't answer as he stared at me, the girl who had gotten away, the liability that I know he might still want to kill.

Considering that this was the past Itachi-someone who really didn't know who I was-he was probably yearning for my death just as much as the future Black Zetsu was… so maybe it didn't make much difference which had been standing behind me.

 _"Goody goody gumdrops, I am sooo dead."_ It was another staredown, just with Kisame added into the mix, his blue skin rippling as he pulled one hand up and back across his shoulder to grasp the handle of his large sword Samahada.

The teeth were so tight into my lip that it pierced the thin skin, blood pooled into my mouth as I didn't dare look away from Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki.

 _"...help me."_ I couldn't tell if Itachi still wanted to kill me or not, his face was still blake but-to my happiness-it seemed not as cold as the day he'd killed his entire clan.

But him being more emotional wouldn't help me any, and with Kisame here to assist him… there was a high possibility that I might not make it out of this situation, alive.

* * *

Kabuto leaned heavily on his arms that were spread out behind him, allowing his head to roll back to stretch the kinks out. He'd been sitting on the cold rocky ground, working on the nearly-finished layout war map for what seemed like hours, he could sense that the sun had left the world quite some time ago, this allowed for him to guess that it was probably nearing one in the morning.

A tired sigh was released, the middle finger rose to push his glasses back up from where they'd slid down during his work time; as much as he loved working and experimenting, Kabuto was beyond exhausted and wanted nothing more than to get a good's night sleep.

Careful to fold up the map in its small, but perfect square, Kabuto stood from his previous potion, glasses glinting as the snake unconsciously tightened its grip on his arm, deep in a restful slumber that the man instantly envied.

He'd just crossed the main cavern and was about to jump up to his ledge all the way at the top of the ceiling when Kabuto felt the presence of Black Zetsu nearing the main room. Pushing aside his tiredness, the snake man resorted to leaning against the wall, putting on a business face, and patiently waited.

Kabuto didn't have to wait long as Black Zetsu's form morphed up from the ground like a disgusting skin infection, Kabuto remained still and poise as his stare calmly followed the black being as he finished his incline.

If it wasn't for the green plant hanging around the one-armed form, and the piercing green eye that held no pupil, Kabuto would have had a difficult time finding even a hint of Black Zetsu's silhouette in the darkness that seemed to eat away at the others form.

 **"Kabuto, there's something I need to know, regarding Sasuke."**

The name of the young Uchiha heir made Kabuto's lips turn into a firmer line than before, the glasses instantly catching a nonexistent glare of light to hide those dark eyes from view. Kabuto eyed the being in front of him, his curiosity trying to get the better of him,

"What about him? Madara has made a vexing point to keep me away from him, remember? I haven't even felt his chakra here since the Akatsuki's revival.

Does he know yet, about Itachi being alive?" Black Zetsu exhaled, shaking his head while his one green eye closed.

 **"No, I've kept that idiot out of the hideout with other missions to ensure they don't meet until I wish them to."** Kabuto nodded, knowing that even though Sasuke had killed his older brother, he'd probably lose it and try and kill him again if he found out that Itachi Uchiha was alive and well once more.

Silent, the snake man waited, knowing that the black being wasn't through talking to him yet, plus he was curious, the Zetsu had been acting weirder than usual after the failed attempt to get rid of the Akatsuki. Black Zetsu allowed for the silence of the night to completely overwhelm their shadowed forms, taking in their environment for any signs of movement and/or noises. When the main cavern was deemed safe from prying ears and eyes, the black being continued in a hushed deep tone, taking care to be very cautious.

 **"Kabuto, that curse mark….. Does Sasuke still have it?"** Kabuto looked at Black Zetsu from the corner of his eye, who had turned to gaze to the entrance to the cave.

"No, but I know someone who still has one."

For a second, Kabuto could have sworn that the skin-that covered where a normal mouth would be-split apart to show a feral grin on Black Zetsu's face, sharp needle-like teeth glinting. Unnerved, the snake man blinked with one simple flick, refraining from letting the black being know he'd seen anything.

But as swift as the smile had appeared, it vanished in the blink of Kabuto's eye, the usual skin stretched out over the mouth area.

The snake writhed against Kabuto's arm, sensing his insignificant unease.

 **"Can you bring me to this person?"**

"Why?"  
 **"I need help from someone who might just aide my plans for the future."** Of course, Kabuto Yakushi agreed, he couldn't help but feel excited at the thought of these plans were for the future. His first thought concerning the black beings words was if this _person_ would assist Black Zetsu in killing the Akatsuki off like the jutsu had been made to do...and yet _that_ had somehow malfunctioned, which didn't make any sense since Kabuto never made mistakes in his line of work.

When Kabuto looked at Black Zetsu again, he ignored the fact that this time-instead of a smile-he'd seen two eyes. The snake man was half asleep after all, anything was possible when he was in this state of mind.

Kabuto sighed.

 _"There goes my chance of getting a good's night sleep.."_


	8. In Which Our Imparity

**-J-**

* * *

8: In Which Our Imparity

Akatsuki's Time: May 18

May's Time: -?-

* * *

"Ah, this day couldn't get any better!" Anko smiled, swallowing the last piece of yummy dango, licking her lips in search of stray soy sauce and any crumbs that had missed their mark.

A tiny cup of tea was brought up to the ninja's mouth, the bitter-yet pleasant-liquid flowed down the purple-haired woman's throat as her head bent backwards to acquire every last drop.

When all the beads of taste had slipped into the open mouth, Anko snapped her head back to its normal angle with a gasp of air, obviously pleased with her early morning snack.

"Definitely gonna get more of that later." The cup and sticky plate were set aside onto the bench, she placed both hands behind herself to lean on and stare up into the endless sky. The sun was just peeking up over the mountains, rising to sent beams shooting out over Konoha, such beautiful weather compared to the last few days of rain and-for some reason-snow.

Light purple eyes closed as the loud-mouthed woman took a deep breath of the spring air, a few birds tweeted far up in the trees surrounding the training grounds she'd picked to have a peaceful breakfast at.

Not much longer now and Anko would have to head off to do her duties for the day, she also was leaving to go out and find the Akatsuki's hideout today with a few other ninja. The purple haired woman was actually looking forward to this mission, even though it made her tense.

Taking a deep breath Anko's eyes flashed open and she jumped up from the bench with a stretch.

"Alright, time to start the day!" Pumping a fist, her free hand grasped the plate and glass to take back with her.

Smiling, the ninja turned around-already planning on a strategy for the mission-coming face to face with a black being. One sharp green eye void of a pupil stared down into Anko's whose widened, the plate and cup fell to the ground as the ninja went to grab a kunai.

A finger had just latched around the end of the blades handle before a black arm shot upwards with such speed that Anko didn't see it until a firm hand had wrapped around her neck, cutting off all access to air.

Not giving the ninja a second for her mind to strategize, the black being narrowed its eyes, slamming a bone crunching punch to Anko's stomach. There was a sickening crack and the woman was sent flying backwards into the trees, her airborne flight continued until a tree trunk greeted her back with a loud smash where she fell forward, slumping onto the ground.

Grunting in pain, with one hand on her stomach the purple haired woman rose up; beads of sweat appeared on her brow as two broken ribs jabbed the inside of her stomach.

"Oh Anko, weakness befits you," a constant grip was kept on the stomach as Anko leaned against the tree, readying herself to launch a barrage of hand signs, or release her own snakes. "Orochimaru was right to discard you." Based on the voice, Anko knew it wasn't the black being and sent a glare of her pissed off temperament.

With the knowledge of who it was, the purple haired woman was still surprised at the bookworms outer appearance.

White skin with the wrinkles and creases of snake-skin shifted with each step the creature took, with his golden eyes and shifty body, the person before the ninja could no longer be accounted as human.

A glare of light hid the golden eyes from view as Kabuto grinned, his fangs sending off warning signs as Anko got ready to raise her hand.

"Kabuto Yakushi, its been awhile." Biting her lip, the ninja forced a smile onto her trembling lips, swallowing all the pain to stand strong in front of this weakling.

"It sure has… four years I believe, since those chunin exams." Kabuto blinked, staring down at the women who looked pitiful with how she shielded her stomach, and still had the audacity to glare at him with such hatred.

"What are you doing back here, Kabuto Yakushi?" Only silence and a vile smile met Anko's word.

 **"Can you stop playing with her, and just finish things?"** Kabuto frowned but didn't look back to watch Black Zetsu walk towards them, the tree branches swayed above him as he moved.

Anko swallowed, knowing her disadvantage, she had two broken ribs and they both were fully loaded on chakra.

"You sure are impatient, aren't you?" Kabuto sighed, bringing up his hands to trace his jaw in deep thought. "But you do have a good point."

This was the only warning Anko got as the bookworm ran towards her; ignoring the agony, the ninja pushed herself forward swinging out her free hand towards the upcoming Kabuto. Snakes flung themselves out of her sleeves, curling towards the creature with frightening intensity. The snakes neared Kabuto's face, fangs outstretched with killing intent, all prepared to drive their poison into that white skin.

There was a smile from the bookworm as Black Zetsu suddenly appeared to the side of them, sending his own hand down onto the bodies of the snakes, cutting them in half, instantly killing them as their heads and portions of their bodies fell to the earth.

Seeing her jutsu fail, Anko tried to jump backwards, but the trunk amusingly met her shoulder blades. Eyes widening Anko looked back at the tree, catching sight of Black Zetsu cutting off escape on the right.  
Just as the ninja was turning back, grasping a kunai in her shaking grip, Kabuto was right next to her face, his own snakes flaking out of his sleeves, the cool bodies flung themselves to cling and encircle Anko's body.

The reaction was so quick that the ninja was unable to scream.

An eerie silence filled throughout the empty training ground, the only thing that proved that something had gone awry was the lone plate with sticky residue of soy sauce slathering the edges, and an empty tea cup.

* * *

Sunlight flickered along the long corridor, creases of light met the ground with the utmost silence, three of these streams of illumination had found their way in between three people; two on the right near the end of the hall, the last on the left in the middle of the hallway.

One set of beady eyes held a playful glint while the other beheld a stare as cold as death. The two pairs of eyes met the single person's marble blue ones halfway, through the thin strings of light that made tiny spots on the wooden floors a lighter shade of brown.

May blinked, desperately trying to keep both fixed on the infamous due that stood before her: Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha.

"So, my calculations were correct," Itachi's monotone voice filled the empty space that had been that of immediate silence, his black eyes giving the illusion to be made up of gray undertones in the sun rays. "You haven't aged at all since our last encounter." The final part was nothing more than a whisper but still caused May's shoulders to tense instinctively, stressed that the Uchiha had figured out the basics of what was going on.

Itachi's words having answered his question of whether the raven knew the girl, Kisame pulled the sword up off his back and over his broad shoulder, brandishing it in a way that showed it wasn't exactly as heavy as it looked.

Darting her eyesight to Kisame, the sword, then to Itachi, May squeezed her fist, unsure of who or what to place her full attention on.

"So Itachi," at last May settled her eyes on the Uchiha, even so, Kisame and his sword were kept in the corner view. "What's the plan," a hand was gestured towards the two individual groups, "concerning us?" Itachi blinked, remaining still as he accessed the situation without so much as a rising from his chest for air.

"I say we kill her. I've been wanting to kill something for awhile now." Curling her toes in the boots, May didn't take her eyes away from the Uchiha, though she nervously watched out of the corner of her eye as Kisame gripped the handle of the wrapped up sword in a way that pronounced he was preparing himself to attack any minute now. May couldn't help but sweat as she waited, what in the world was she doing baiting them like this? _This_ was a death wish of utter insanity. The heart inside the blonde's chest was beating with a frantic tone that rivaled a dubstep remix, nearly pumping its way up and out in its terror.

"Do what you will, Kisame." The feral grin that met Kisame's lips was one May had never seen before, it was that of a demon seeing its dinner alive and waiting for the final blow, it was so unlike the kind Kisame she'd known that the air caught in the blonde's throat.

There was a vivid laugh as Kisame grinned, sharp teeth bared as the sword was brought up and swung at May who narrowly managed to dodge by tripping over her own feet stupidly. The world became unstable as May landed on her butt, swiftly scooting backwards as the sword was brought down and wedged into the wood between the blonde legs. Sitting up to get more traction was the wrong move as Kisame took this second to tug the wrapped sword up with a fierce jerking motion, slamming it into May's chin on its way back up; there was a choking sound as the neck was wretched straight up with the motion of the sword.

Collapsing from the mind-blowing hit to her jaw, a trail of saliva dripped onto the wood as May's mouth remained open in a frozen way, the pain so intense that it ached to shut the open cavern. It hurt so insanely that May didn't even sense how close Kisame was until she felt the edge of his shoe graze her hip. The mouth was still to injured to close as the blonde managed the top torso off the floor. Each shoulder shook as she stared at the ground with eyes so wide that they seemed to be ready to fall out of her skull.

Inch by inch the gaping mouth finally shut until May wasn't even sure she'd be able to open it once more, once this was done she remained on the floor still somewhat numb and unable to feel her face.

Kisame stared down at the girl, switching hands to swirl the sword at a diagonal, intent of slicing her head from her shoulders.

Sensing the blade May tightened her fists and for once was able to fluently teleport down the hall away from the sword that-instead of maiming her-caused a deep groove into the wall just right of where she'd been.

A few feet away, May stared in awe at her hands, proud of the swift teleport she'd done.

"I insist you stand still, your death will be much less painful." Kisame was glaring at his blade for a second before returning to gaze at the girl who now was sitting much farther down the hall, her head rising to look at them both.

"You want to kill me, huh?" Massaging her bruising jaw, the blonde slowly rose up, turning her gaze to the Uchiha. "Why, Itachi, have you ever heard rumors of anyone talking about what _really_ happened at that compound?" Kisame's eyebrows met in some confusion, glancing cautiously at his partner, obviously curious and having no idea of what the girl spoke of.

Itachi stared at the girl, he closed his eyes taking a step towards her.

"Of course not, how could you have told anyone when you time traveled from that spot to this time period?" It suddenly became very hard to breathe as May froze, scared-but not surprised-that the Uchiha had figured out _everything_.

"Huh?" Kisame looked back at Itachi, then at May with a new interest in his yellow eyes.

"... You really are a genius, aren't you?" Muttering to herself May took a deep breath and thought desperately on what hand signs would do what in this case; but her brain remained an array of confusion, at a loss of what to do. If Itachi had already figured out that she could time travel then why was he allowing Kisame to attack her?... Unless the raven hadn't realized that it was only triggered by being in danger; but if that was the case why hadn't it kicked in when the blade had made contact with the blonde's chin? May inwardly sighed, maybe her power only kicked in when it felt like, it was lazy and it didn't help that she didn't really know how to use it.

"A time traveler, huh? How rare...and annoying. Just another reason to kill you, though!" Opening his mouth to laugh Kisame ran towards May who backed up a few spaces, thinking a million miles a second in a desperate act to teleport herself.

"Is that you Pervy Sage?" A door a few feet down from behind Itachi opened to produce a kid with bright blonde hair who poked his head out, peering down to the right, then to left where he was met with Itachi's hard black stare. Eyes narrowing, the Uchiha disappeared to reappear in front of the kid who gasped, falling against the doorframe.

Black hair settled around the raven's head, Akatsuki cloak swirling around him from the immediate movement, blinking as he stared down at the child who trembled before him as if the boy had a hunch of _who_ it was.

"Naruto, you'll be coming with me." Naruto's eyes widened in shock as he turned to face the raven's face.

Managing to duck Kisame's blow, May propelled herself forward past him placing a hand on the ground to both push and stop her feet from tripping over each other.

"Naruto, don't look him in the eyes!" Naruto blinked before shoving his eyes to the ground, backing into the room as Itachi's eye twitched in annoyance.

"How about you shut that mouth." Kisame's rough blue hand grasped around May's wrist, twirling her around to face him. Gritting her teeth May swallowed and dug her fingernails into the hand but that had little effect on the blue man who merely grinned. With a burst of power, Kisame shoved the blonde backward and switched grips on the blades handle, that dangerous sword's tip was near the ground conveying that he planned to try a different attack by getting close and swinging it up vertically.

Backing away was the first that came to mind, but May stopped, realizing she now was in the middle; Itachi stood a few feet away watching her from the corner of his eye while keeping half his attention on Naruto, as if deducting the best way to deal with both situations. While the raven stayed in one spot, the space in between the blue man and the blonde was subtracted as he grew ever closer.

In her mind, May tried to think of possibilities of what to do; the last thing she wanted was to hurt Kisame and Itachi, but they weren't playing around, they literally were trying to kill her right now, and Naruto was now involved, seeming to be incredibly freaked out at the site of Itachi that in a way, showed that the kid wouldn't be much help.

She only had one choice, right now wasn't the time to think of her own feelings. Naruto needed her help now, and from the way things were going, it seemed that the Akatsuki might just acquire the nine tails early.

"You shouldn't be zoning out!" Blinking back to the present May's hopes died as the white sword filled her vision, catching and slashing into her left shoulder. The skin tore open at the first touch of contact, blood splattering every which way as the white wrapping on the sword ripped to show the thick dark blue spikes beneath, each tip glistening with red liquid.

The sword was swung to the side, wedged into the floor allowing for Kisame to grasp the end up it with all his strength and lift himself into the air to deliver a heavy kick to the blonde's stomach. Just like when the sword had rammed up into May's chin, all air was knocked out of her as the kick caused an intense pain to flare up and a blood-chilling crack echoed inside the blonde's ears; streams of blood fell from the mouth opened in a silent scream.

The white wall met May's spine, allowing for the body to collapse onto the floor.

If you've ever had a moment in which your ears just shut off all sound, then you know how May felt as she fell to the ground with a thump, unable to hear anything as the blood pumped out of her wounded shoulder. If the sword to the chin had hurt, then actually having something slice through the skin was like a horror beyond horror, it was so painful that the blonde couldn't move, only tremble as her body convulsed from the intensity.

Kisame snickered, noting with a sense of humor that the girl looked fine on the floor where she could _look_ up at them, switching grips again to bring the sword up above his head where he continued to stare down on her.

It had taken a few seconds of struggle for May to cup her bleeding shoulder with her good hand, placing the fingers to tentatively touch around the edges of the gash that stung from the light taps. The stings of pain were only added from the stomach that shifted under her, it felt like a bone had broken and was trying to shove its way out of her stomach like a spear.

May wanted to kick herself, she was angry at her shoulder, at the blood, at this fight, and she was pissed at herself for not knowing how to defend herself.

Cupping the shoulder tighter-blood dripped faster as the wound cried out in agony-May's eyes opened and glared at the feet of her attacker.

This ninja world was all about fighting, if you didn't know how to attack and defend then you didn't survive; the odds worsened when two strong S-Class ninjas were trying to kill you.

Naruto swallowed, trying his best to ignore the Uchiha's gaze, where in the world was the sage?

Five fingers curled into a fist as May dug for that survival instinct that she knew was inside; a final squeeze was given to the shoulder, pain on pain made her ignore the sting of the wound and swing out a leg, using all her power to slam into Kisame's kneecap. The impact was harsh and strong with instinct, the kneecap bent the wrong way causing the blue man to howl in rage, swinging his sword in between them to separate the leg from his own.

Ducking the appendage back in May tried to push herself up, but the pain in the shoulder increased and she slumped there, turning to instead ready her legs to shove them at the blue man's chest. But retaliating was no longer necessary as the next attack-that consisted of Kisame punching the blonde in the face-was put on hold as he stared past her, smile twitching. Itachi who stood a few feet behind him straightened up, realizing that their chance of getting Naruto and killing the girl were no longer in their reach.

"So, Naruto, I leave you for ten minutes on your own and you already angered people?" Jiraiya joked appearing near the stairs with a laugh, Naruto managed a weak smile. The older man's stare turned from pleasant to cold as he glared at Kisame and Itachi.

Bringing up her head, May looked at Jiraiya, he was much taller than she'd expected he'd be, the spiked white hair swirled around him as he hung onto a woman's body that was placed on one shoulder.

Never had the blonde been so happy to be saved, she even smiled up at the other who gave her a curious look and opened his mouth to say something; whatever the sage was going to say was cut off as Kisame jumped over May, laughing in an angry way.

Slowly, May's vision was darkening, the sound was shutting off, and the last things she thought were a variety of words, only one sentence called out to her before the black took over: This shoulder wound could get infected, she needed a doctor.

This was the silent wish that was pondered and suddenly May felt the pull of time travel; even with a sluggish mind full of cascading sleep, the blonde came to the conclusion that her will to time travel had worked when she'd wished for it….

With this final thought, May drifted off.

* * *

There was a weird sensation as Itachi watched the girl begin to close her eyes, taking careful steps he found himself right next to the body that was barely even conscious. Blinking he knelt down and watched as the blue eyes sealed shut and the body flickered.

"Time travel again," Itachi muttered as the girl's body evaporated, leaving only a puddle of blood that the raven stared at with his sharingan.

This woman surely was annoying; he sighed, knowing he'd had enough time to slit her throat, but hadn't done so….he must be going soft.

* * *

Anko lay on the ground completely still; on appearance alone, she looked to be as dead as dead could be. The dried blood trails around the purple-haired woman's mouth were browner then red in the dark cave that's light was all but nonexistent.

In the dark it seemed that Anko was all alone; but seated next to her was Black Zetsu, his one green eye the only thing proving that he was there in the darkness. One cold hand lay on the thin skin of the neck, tracing the heaven's curse mark that marred the woman's skin, the black swirls seemed to twitch at the black being's presence.

Black Zetsu had only to close his eyes and he could feel the curse mark vibrating under his fingertips, so without further ado he pulsed his own chakra into the mark, willing the captor to escape the nearly dead woman's body.

As the mark confronted his own with warmth, Black Zetsu smiled, the skin stretching upwards from around his chin to produce a mouth that curled all the way up his cheeks in an intense intimidating way.

Kabuto watched with pure fascination from a few feet away where he was leaned up against a wall, the snake that was attached to him was curled around his neck, watching in curiosity.

The curse mark was getting hotter and hotter, burning the black being's skin, but he continued his ministrations, breaking apart the layers that consisted of the powerful curse mark, reaching deep inside to pluck the true power out.

Anko grit her teeth, even in half death, she could feel the strain as the final layer was crushed menacingly under Black Zetsu's chakra.

A hot and bright flash lit up the cave, blinding Kabuto whose snake came up to cover his eyes; when it had died, the black being felt something brush his fingertips and pulled back as a hand emerged from the curse mark that had all but melted into a mass of black to accommodate the escape of the one it held inside.

First came the white hand, then soaking black hair cascaded down from Anko's neck, seeming to have a life of its own as the head attached to it rose up. The hair tickled Black Zetsu's arms as he took only one step back, standing tall as he looked on without fear.

The body landed on the ground as a soppy mess, wet slime dripped down the hair onto the ground, the puddle dangerously near the black being's feet.

Kabuto went to take a step towards the man and assist but stopped as he was given a look from Black Zetsu who wanted nothing to do with the snake man right now.

A deep sensual laugh filled the air as Black Zetsu turned back, the soppy mass trembled from the laughter that quickly dimmed to lighthearted chuckles as two hands came to swipe the thick hair away from his face.

Golden snake eyes met green as Orochimaru grinned up at Black Zetsu.

"Well well, this was much earlier than I had originally planned," Orochimaru smiled, slowly bending his legs to stand up.

 **"Indeed, nice to see you again Orochimaru."**

Orochimaru pondered the being in front of him as he wiped his face of the slime. "Hmm, how did you know I still remained inside Anko's curse mark?" At the mention of his past pupil's name from his own lips, the snake turned his gaze to the woman for a second, she was deathly still.

 **"How stupid do you think I am? I watched the fight Sasuke had with Itachi,"** Orochimaru blinked at the Uchiha's name, remembering just who had killed him. **"You were inside Sasuke's curse mark, which made me assume a piece of you would be in the others as well."** Nodding, Orochimaru finally noticed that besides him and the black being, Kabuto was in the room.

Since Anko had known who this being was, Orochimaru knew, but if she hadn't known it would have taken the snake a second to recognize Kabuto for the bookworm no longer looked human.

"Kabuto, I'd say you haven't changed at all...but apparently you've gone after my look." Chuckling at the others snakeskin and the actual snake wrapped around the bookworms neck; Kabuto Yakushi smiled, oh how he'd missed his old leader.

"It was only to become like you, Lord Orochimaru." There was something in the snake's eyes that surprised Kabuto, it seemed that Orochimaru was almost a bit disappointed in his disciple's methods, but stayed silent in his opinion.

Black Zetsu rolled his eyes, not caring at all for the two snake's reunions, they could do this any other time, but now certainly wasn't the time.

 **"Orochimaru, I have a favor to ask you."** Black hair drifted as the snake turned to face Black Zetsu, one hand on his hip as he stared back into the single green eye, the smile having vanished awhile ago.

"And who says I'd help you?" This comment was said with numerous hinting tones, one of sarcasm, agitation, and mostly of danger, as if Orochimaru was insulted at the thought and didn't want this black being to control him.

 **"It will benefit both parties. I promise you. There's a girl who is threatening all of us, she must be taken care of as _soon_ as possible."** Cocking an eyebrow, Orochimaru nodded before turning the other way.

"If this is for the Akatsuki, I'm out. Deal with this one yourself Zetsu." Kabuto and Black Zetsu watched as Orochimaru made his way towards the exit of the cave where the light was seeping into the cracks of the opening, his damp clothes already drying at a fast pace; Kabuto frowned, looking between his old leader and his new one, seeming unsure whether to follow or stay.

Tapping his foot impatiently Black Zetsu sighed, pinching his eye shut, giving the second a thought.

 **"She killed Pain."**

Three words were all it took for the snake to stop, his feet at the end of the shadows, one more step and he'd be back in the light, but instead, Orochimaru stood there and glanced over his shoulder, one green eye pierced Black Zetsu who nodded grimly.

"Really, truly curious; who is this girl? What else has she done?"

Black Zetsu smiled, knowing full well that he'd just caught one of the strongest sannin, hook line and sinker.

 **"Her name is May…."**


	9. In Which Our Disability

**-J-**

* * *

9: In Which Our Disability

Akatsuki's Time: May 17

May's Time: Younger days of a Certain Medic

* * *

Sun poured down onto the forest with love, casting warm graces of radiance over the trees, bringing a fresh green glow to the earth that had recently been rained on. There was a light breeze that blew throughout the trees, waving their dripping leaves at the boy who walked through the forest. His eyes remaining ever watchful of the grass below him, every lush blade cupping tiny pearls of water off their edges. The soaked forest and depressing weather seemed to weep for the loss of lives that had been struck down during the past weeks; only a year ago, the young child would have rarely seen such dastardly sights as numerous bodies lying about war zones, but now it was a recurring feat.

Death was more common than life these days.

At first glance, the boy seemed to be watching his feet-almost as if he expected to trip-but every few feet he'd stop, look left and right at the ground, and continue on.

It was an odd way for such a child to act, but for young Kabuto Yakushi, this was a perfectly normal procedure.

To the average human eye, the ground that the young medic walked, was just _that_ , ground that was only grass, weeds, and dirt. Kabuto was _not_ an average human, he saw with the eyes of a medic, enabling him to instead distinguish normal grass and weeds from the variety of herbs that held special purposes.

In this particular area, there was much scurvy grass and dandelions, each had already been fully stocked back at the orphanage and didn't need to be collected on this trip; instead, the young medic was searching for Burdock and Yarrow.

Burdock could be made into a tea that helped with numerous ailments such as aiding digestion and could even purify blood while a tea made from Yarrow could treat the most common cold.

Herbs were just the peak of what Kabuto had learned so far; adults had observed and applauded his talents, even though Kabuto's knowledge on healing was an on-going process. Compared to his teacher, there were many things he still wasn't good at, even so the young medic knew, with time, he'd become a great healer.

Two black eyes narrowed along with a smile as he found a thick clump of Burdock growing beside a large oak tree. With careful movements, Kabuto kneeled down and began to dig around the plant, slowly but surely he dug around the root, shifting the mud to one side so that it wasn't a bother. Whipping out a small knife, the top half of the plant was cut free of the bottom. At last, a nice long root was placed into the woven basket that the young medic had had hooked on his left arm.

Shaking the flecks of wet mud off, Kabuto wrinkled his nose at the state of his hands, begrudgingly rubbing them off on the wet grass in hope to clean them somewhat.

-THUMP-

Instantly jumping up-the grip on the knife firm yet shaky-Kabuto looked around, swallowing his fear; finding no one behind him, the young medic edged closer to the oak tree and peered around it, the free hand sliding up the trunk to keep his body steady and cease noise.

When Kabuto first looked behind the tree, he only saw the forest and foliage, but when his eyesight lowered to that of his usual view of the grass below, the medic instantly found something out of the ordinary: nearly hidden by the lush grass was a hand, it stretched up from a wrist to an elbow where Kabuto's vision was obscured by another tree that conveniently hid the rest of the body-if there was one-from view.  
Though unnerved, the young medic grasped his basket and carefully made his way over. Kabuto was no fool, he knew just how many ninja had been battling recently, no matter how weak a ninja was, he was to be ever on the alert. Caution became Kabuto's second nature as he grew closer, knowing full well that his life could be ended in an instant if this were an enemy.

Blinking, Kabuto Yakushi stared at the hand that nearly touched the edge of his shoe, water streams outlined the curve of the wrist and the fingers had knotted up the grass in their firm grip. Following up the arm the young medic eyes met up with the jackets sleeve that had been haphazardly shoved up to the elbow, the fabric was caked in dry mud that had managed to flake off to show that it had once been expensive leather.

Kabuto took a breath when he skipped up the arm to the entire torso-it wasn't just a hand after all-connected to it. He'd truthfully been expecting a ninja when the young medic had come over here, but now, he saw that the girl lying before him surely couldn't be a ninja. She was sprawled out as if having fallen from a great height-Kabuto looked up into the treetops to be sure she hadn't been camping up there, but there was no sign of life but for the birds. She'd face planted into the earth, grass poking around her head like twigs; the hair that was plastered to the girls head was bright platinum, nearly appearing white in the cloudy afternoon, and was harshly cut to outline her skull but it still retained a thickness to the small amount of hair.

Everything froze when black eyes noticed the wounded shoulder: it was a deep cut that started from the end of the collarbone to the back of the shoulder, it kept up a constant on pumping blood onto the grass, managing to turn everything red in its wake. There were bits of flesh that could be seen around the shredded cloth, still connected to the bone that was somewhat visible. Whatever weapon had administered this wound had certainly done its job well, it made the medic mentally cringe and wrinkle his nose at the stench of flayed skin and blood.

Taking a deep breath Kabuto placed his knife in the basket, then put that on the ground and lowered himself to a sitting position in front of the bodies head. The medic inside the child was antsy to heal the being in front of him, to stop that blood and sew up the skin to hide that bone once more; but Kabuto knew that the first thing to be done was to wake the girl up, she had to be cleaned first, it would be unwise to heal her now with all that mud surrounding the gauge that could already be infected.

"Hey?" Kabuto poked the shoulder that didn't need medical attention, one hand rose to push his glasses up his nose and continue to lightly shake the person's shoulder in a way that didn't shift the wounded one. "Miss?"

Kabuto almost missed the first sign of life that happened a minute later, it was the twitch of the outstretched hand's index that proceeded to curl each finger into a fist, gripping the grass in a tense hold.

The young medic couldn't help but smile as the blonde's head rose up and he saw her face for the first time, blue eyes meeting black. There was something in those marble-like eyes that made Kabuto's smile turn soft as he stared down at the girl who blinked in a way that said she was still half asleep.

With each blink the blonde began to look more and more awake, at last, her two gleaming blue eyes stared at him with detection just as she seemed to realize her shoulder, groaning in pain the blonde brought her hand up to cup the wounded shoulder with a wince. There was a tiny bead of sweat on the forehead of the heavier girl as her eyes flicked up to meet his; they stared-one up, one down-both assessing the other-one with curiosity, one with fear and hesitation in her orbs. When the suffering blonde came to the conclusion that this young medic wasn't about to hurt her, she visibly sagged with a sigh of relief that was covered with a small tired smile that was directed up at Kabuto Yakushi.

"Hi."

* * *

 _"They don't remember,"_ It was a black mess of darkness as my brain lay dormant and I sat there in the room that twitched every few seconds with an invisible whiplash. It was a small room with nothing on its walls but planks of wood that were tightly wedged together to cease any light from entering, even with the firmness, there must have been cracks somewhere because the ground was an inch under murky water.

 _"They're continuously trying to kill you. You are just a liability to them now…. You know too much."_ The wood underneath me and the water arched its back in a loving way, causing ripples in the stagnant liquid that chilled my limbs into remaining still in their current position; even without these bizarre scenarios, I knew that this was a dream.

 _"What's the point of being in this world? You should jus-"_

"Hey." The walls vibrated with the voice and my head peeked up over my kneecaps that had been drawn up to my chin.

"Who's there?" The dark thoughts that concerned the Akatsuki reeled angrily back as I answered the call. Unbending my legs from their fetal position, I stared around the single room that's air current was as dead as a skeleton in the ground. Standing up, I rubbed my calves that had just been submerged the in the frigid water, trying to get rid of the pins and needles under the skin.

A person didn't need to be smart to know that this room was all just a dream, a figment of my imagination made to keep my mental self-safe while my body lay somewhere in the real world. At first, I couldn't help but think that the person talking to me from the waking world was Itachi or Kisame….But the voice sounded younger and not as deep, a child. This begged the question, where in the world were the two Akatsuki members? Were they ok? Were they still searching to kill me at this very second?

"Miss?" My attention was called to the sound of a loud crack that emanated from one of the wooden walls, I turned to look over my shoulder as a plank of wood halfway up the wall splintered in half, bringing a burst of light that's beam connected with the middle of my nose. The light brought a valuable burst of heat that turned the freezing water around my feet to a nice temperature and the chill of my soul was extinguished, a smile happened up onto my face at the sudden change. Whoever's voice that was, they surely were persistent, and for some reason, it made me happy.

I couldn't help but be curious now, who-besides the Akatsuki-could make me this happy just by a voice? Maybe it was just coincidence that I'd heard whoever this was, maybe my mind was on the verge of waking, that would make more sense.

Whoever this was, it wasn't Itachi and Kisame, for a second I couldn't help but be saddened by the loss, but was still grateful since they'd nearly been on the verge of eliminating me.

Invigorating heat spread over both me and the room like a hand; my shoulder burning as the particular warmth latched onto the shoulder, shaking it lightly as the murky water evaporated leaving no residue behind.

All heat flew away from my being, leaving it cold and wet as both eyes fluttered open, finding themselves staring at the wet vivid green grass that poked and tickled my nose playfully.

As the bright light lengthened and the warmth of the room grew so did my fear but I there was little I could do so without a second thought, my eyes closed. The warmth spread over me like a hand, cupping my shoulder lightly, and the murky water evaporated leaving me damp.

I was damp and cold as my eyes fluttered open and found myself staring at the vivid green grass that poked and tickled my nose.

Movement and feel came back into my limbs with prejudice; a single index finger twitched to prove that things still moved properly and I knew as all five senses reawakened that this was the real world and not another dream.

The ability to detect came back into my numb fingers with prejudice and for a second I wasn't sure if this was the waking world or not, but the hand on my shoulder proved that this certainly wasn't a dream anymore.

Blades of grass were pulled into a tense hold as my fingers curled into the grass, knotting them together as the numbness passed from the fingertips and palm leaving it tingly.

When I brought my head up I instantly wanted to lower it again as a sense of nausea flew over my senses, enveloping my throat in a way that hinted at possibly throwing up the empty contents of my stomach.

The place surrounding me was horribly fuzzy, but there certainly was something in front of me, at first, it was just a blurry shape of light colors which meant that it certainly wasn't a tree or bush; but as I continued to blink my eyes a shape slowly formed from those colors, swirling into arms, legs, a torso and a head with two black eyes staring back into mine with a tiny smile on his small lips.

It was just a child in my eyes until I recognized the round glasses, the dark brooding eyes, and the white hair; it was Kabuto! That couldn't be a good thing, was he after me too, if he wa-

Painful pulses of anguish rippled from my shoulder that smugly reminded me that it was still wounded; with a loud groan and biting of my lip I curled into myself and grasped the area surrounding the wound that was still bleeding, I felt the heat of the blood before the wetness met and enveloped my fingers.

How in the world did Naruto characters get wounds and make it look like nothing!? It damn well hurts like hell!

To make matters worse Kabuto was here, who knew what he was up to.

Glancing up at the other warily, I realized that my first analysis of Kabuto was all wrong.

 _This_ Kabuto was different from the one I'd seen during the chunin exams of Naruto's younger life; this Kabuto's face was tiny, nearly enveloped by the large round glasses that were shoved up his nose; he was just a child with short white hair that curled around his head and ended at the end of his ears. One of the most interesting things about the young boy were his eyes, they were big and black, holding a certain spark to them that hinted he'd seen things recently that no child should at such a young age, those eyes held the look of a child being mixed with an adult.

The look of fear slowly left my eyes, this was not the same Kabuto as the one Naruto met, he was un-marked by evil and Orochimaru. I couldn't help but sag at the feeling of safety, I truly was safe right now, there was no need to be fearful.

A smile of happiness filtered over my face, I must have time traveled again, this time into the past to be seeing such a young pure Kabuto, and this was a good thing, this meant that Itachi and Kisame weren't looking for me in this time.

"Hi." Kabuto blinked, not seeming to expect my simple greeting, but it was all I could think to say at the moment.

"Hi…." black eyes flicked to the wounded shoulder. "You're hurt, Miss."

"Nah it's just a scratch." I sarcastically said with a smile, Kabuto's eyes narrowed and he rolled his large eyes from behind the glasses. "Yeah I know, I shouldn't be joking.. about this…." Trying to sit up was more painful than I'd expected it would, the wounded shoulder all but rolled uselessly as if it still were unable to fully function properly.

A tiny hand caught my good shoulder as I nearly keeled over, looking up I found Kabuto next to me, leaning my heavy body against his to aide my movements. This child… he certainly was much different than the one I'd known in the show, he was so kind and helpful.

When, I at last, stood tall, Kabuto only came up to the beginning of my stomach and was forced to look up at me, I had tried to leave off any of my weight on the boy while trying to stand, but he still looked a little tired from assisting me.

"Sorry about that, didn't realize I was that heavy." Scratching the back of my head I looked around at the forest, there was no sign of civilization anywhere. "Um… why are you out here all alone?"

Kabuto bent down and picked up a basket that I hadn't noticed before, inside was a few stacks of roots that still had mud clinging to their bodies.

"I was gathering herbs for healing; there have been so many wounded recently." At this comment, my shoulder gave off a dull ache and I stared at the herbs almost longingly before turning my gaze to the sky.

"Well, you get those home then, kid. I'm sure those patients are gonna need them." Kabuto smiled up at me then frowned when he directed his gaze back at the laceration I had.

"Nope, Miss." Blinking I looked down at the child who had grasped my hand with a tiny smile. " _You_ need my help right now."

…. Was this kid actually suggesting what I think he was?

"Let me heal you. I'm a medic, Miss." He really wanted to help me? There was something warm in my chest as I stared down on him, no one in the past few days had wanted to help me…. Darn, I think I'm tearing up over here.

Sniffing I inhaled and blinked away any thankful tears that had tried to show their soppy faces.

All the intense pain in my arm seemed to melt away as an intense amount of happiness warmed my chest as I ducked down and hugged the boy to me with the use of my good arm, the wounded one facing away in hopes not to jostle it.

"Thank you!" Kabuto seemed almost shocked as I wrapped the arm around his back, nearly picking him up as I placed my chin on his shoulder; realizing that it was just a hug of gratitude he hugged back with the touch of a feather.

I held him like that for a second, closing my eyes and relishing at the friendly touch of another human being, so much had happened in the past few days that this simple hug was the exact thing I needed to help me feel safe and comforted. I couldn't help but relish in that hug, nearly breaking down right there.

"Thank you, Kabuto, you have no idea just how much I needed this." The thankfulness wasn't just for the healing, it was the smile and the security all wrapped up into one all because of this little boy; and in this second May was happy then her last two days put together.

* * *

Kabuto Yakushi had potential, there was considerable promise in those healing abilities that he merely used for the wounded of the on-going war. These promises would never grow and nurture without a helping hand-a guide if you will-and this was the occupation that Orochimaru had decided to take onto himself; _this_ was the reason why he'd started keeping a close eye on the young medic, keeping his distance and waiting for the best opportunity to bring this child into his care.

Orochimaru knew that Danzo was already planning on coming to the orphanage that Kabuto had taken to calling home; even though that mission had nothing to do with the snake, he knew that that would only assist in bringing the child even closer to him, that was a given.

Kabuto _would_ be one of his followers, whenever Orochimaru set a goal it happened whether it be in twenty minutes to three years down the road; this child _would be his._

However, this conspiracy to acquire Kabuto became a bit shaky as a new participant entered the game. At first, Orochimaru hadn't spared a single amount of worry about the female that Kabuto had found lying in the middle of the forest where he'd been picking herbs for future assistance. First appearances conveyed that this woman was simply another female until he scrutinized her appearance and decided to try and decipher the chakra that was radiating from the girls figure.

Orochimaru noted that, compared to other girls he'd met, she wasn't incredibly attractive; if a person gave her a quick and simple once over, they didn't take ample notice. But the snake allowed himself to look over the figure, still not finding anything intriguing….that is until he reached the girl's face.

It was a rounded face that held inches of fat around the edges, it made a thick outline that gave her likeness a childlike quality. The face wasn't nothing to talk about until the snake noted the blonde hair and reached the blue eyes that blinked down on Kabuto.

They were eyes that held fire, determination, happiness, sadness, and age all in one, two orbs molded together will these five emotions rolled into the pupils to make up the eyes that narrowed to smile down at the young medic. Even though her appearance was that of a girl in the beginning stages of adulthood, her eyes held a look that only came from seeing too much in life, Orochimaru carried eyes like these.

It was in this second that Orochimaru realized that he couldn't let this girl get too close to Kabuto, if he noticed the young medic beginning to like the young girl, he'd have to get rid of her. Kabuto Yakushi would be his student, and his alone; this woman would not take away his future pupil, never.

* * *

 **Author:** Another chapter done! Things are starting to get a bit interesting; I also love the interaction between Kabuto and May.

If you have time, leave a review, they do help in assisting me in writing the future chapters!

See ya all later, love ya!

-Jinx of the desert


	10. In Which Our Renewal and Mistrust

**-J-**

* * *

10: In Which Our Renewal and Mistrust

Akatsuki's Time: May 17

May's Time: Younger days of a Certain Medic

* * *

Black Zetsu had planned the retrieval of Pain's murderer vigilantly, coming up with the best strategy that he'd relaid to everyone with great detail.

Bringing in the new member was to be done in stages and with immediate stealth so not to cause the villages-who were preparing for war-to notice. Phase one was that each two man squad would be leaving at separate times, using the Akatsuki base as the main point in which to branch out from.

All the details for the mission were explained and covered so that there was no room for doubt and in the end, everyone agreed, even Tobi-who (in his own way) had seemed skeptical-at the end was eager to search as well.

Itachi and Kisame were the first two to leave the hideout-wearing scarlet cloaks that hugged their figures just as well as their old ones-and headed towards South-East. Ten miles later, the raven and shark were contacted by Black Zetsu and had nothing to report on the girl or her chakra in the immediate areas they'd covered. Unlike the other day-when the black being had been so set on killing the girl-he was perfectly calm at the news, the negativity of not finding her no longer seemed very important to him; the only one to notice this change was Tobi who remained silent and ever watchful.

Even with this passiveness, Black Zetsu still sent out the next group that was made up of Kakuzu and Hidan who'd both been itching to leave the cursed cave (one more so than the other) and get back into the feel of things since nearly a year had passed since their death.

While everyone else was set on finding and adding the murderer to the Akatsuki, Hidan wanted nothing more than to find the girl, fight her and then kill her-Kakuzu's answer to that was but a simple no that aggravated the albino to no end. Kakuzu, on the other hand, could care less about the mission and Black Zetsu had replied, saying that there would be no bounty hunting until she was caught….now that had caught his attention, so yes, he was on board to get the annoying brat (though he'd rather not).

Their search started out plain and boring but it was considerably better than waiting for Itachi and Kisame to report nothing back again.

When the two had first left, Hidan's excitement had been uncontainable and he'd slashed down a couple of trees for sport, laughing as they crashed to the ground. In only five minutes Kakuzu had heard just how much the albino hated the cave, detested Black Zetsu, and how bloodthirsty he was for all out slaughter; whether the mission bore fruit meant little to Kakuzu and the entire world to Hidan who wanted nothing but to battle the girl again. The older man angrily realized that this was going to be long and Hidan was ever the talkative partner... this mission was gonna be a nightmare.

These compelling emotions were the ones that they set off with, and like the wind, both changed again when the game switched sporadically and their troubles began.

* * *

Clouds that had once been carefree, formed together, turning an angry shade of gray above the two Akatsuki members heads as they walked down the forest path. The brisk wind and dampness of the air promised rain-like-sheet to add to their moods that had simultaneously darkened from what they'd been at the start of the mission.

The albino couldn't seem to limp two steps without cursing, muttering, or just plain-out groaning like a child at the never ending agony he was experiencing.

"Tch, this so-called great day, didn't last long," Hidan muttered irritably as his left arm hung dead at his side, the back and forth movement of the appendage was similar to that of a swaying pendulum.

This constant whining had continued so perpetually that the albino had managed to cover Kakuzu's silence indefinitely-who stayed inaudible anyway-biding his time so not to lose his patience and grind his partner into the earth in order to shut him up. At the start of the mission, Kakuzu's patience had been at its normal thinness before it started ticking away inch by inch as the hours passed, until, finally it was nonexistent. Loss of his tolerance for Hidan meant that the anger and killing intent was mauling up, forming into a massive amount of hate and detest for his loud-mouthed partner who limped behind him.

"This is sooooo fucking stupid! We've been looking for _days_ and we haven't found her! I swear I'll kill that bitch for what I've had to endure throughout this!" Kakuzu mentally wondered if Hidan even knew _how_ to shut up, there certainly wasn't an off switch (he'd already tried looking)...killing the annoyance was always an option, however, White Zetsu had made a point to ask Kakuzu politely before their mission to not kill Hidan, but that was becoming insanely difficult as the minutes turned into hours.

"Hidan, we've only been out for two hours." It certainly couldn't have been days, Kakuzu was positive that his patience wouldn't last _that_ long. "And if you try to dispose of that girl, then I'll kill you. Now, _shut up_." Following close behind the older man, Hidan scoffed, rolling his eyes and head to stare up at the sky.

"Come on, you agree with me too, huh, fucker?" Kakuzu managed to turn his head somewhat to glare at his partner, burning a hole into the albino who was peering up at the sky with a bored expression that watched the clouds give off a broad flash of lightning. "That this is damn well pointless?" Blinking Kakuzu grit his teeth, suddenly conscious that his face covering was no longer in place, he'd have to require a new one when he got some money.

"Do not label me with such vile nicknames, Hidan," the skin stretched tight over the hand at Kakuzu's hip that was curling into a fist. "This is pointless to you? The one who can't seem to _shut up_ about finding and killing the girl?" The albino's footsteps faltered ending in a small stumble from stepping wrong and then silence replaced footsteps; after a second of staring at the other who was resting, Kakuzu turned and continued on, growling out a command. "I don't give a damn how injured you are, keep walking." Hidan certainly was injured, his left bleeding arm hanging useless, dripping a trail of red from the long cut that started at the top of his shoulder and ended at the wrist in a straight line. The wounded arm wasn't the only casualty that the albino had suffered; where the foot curves up into the leg was a broad gouge that, if a person looked at it, they could see right through the hole to the other side.

"Hidan," there was a warning in the older man's voice when Hidan still hadn't followed.

The albino was staring at his bleeding arm, then down at his foot that was holding the least amount of weight possible as he leaned more towards the right.

The blood fell to the ground one by one.

Drip. . . . . . Drip. . . . .

 _Two hours earlier._

 _"Wait!" A recently slashed cheek was bleeding profoundly on the ninja's face as he cowered before him, unable to stand from the mangled leg that was bent the wrong way. Unable to move the ninja still hopelessly tried to keep up his courage in his trembling form as he glared up at his attacker, it was a sign of determination, but all Hidan saw was a cowering fool, eyes wide with fright, just the way he liked 'em._

 _"Hahahahaha Come on then! Let us experience the ultimate ecstasy!" The scythe was swung up so that the blades were level with the wielders lips; with a laugh, Hidan flicked the tongue across the tip of the blade, watching the ninja while he collected the red drops leisurely. As the taste overwhelmed his senses, Hidan nearly moaned, relishing in the moment as this man's blood took over his mouth with the wonderful metal flavor._

 _It had been nearly a fucking year since blood had been consumed by the albino and he now could state that the taste never got old, it was just as craveable as it had been then._

 _One quick swallow and the delicious flavor vanished, instead to warm the throat it traveled down with heated touches of desire._

 _Smiling to himself, Hidan rolled his eyes up to the sky in wait for the long-anticipated finale, the ritual that would satisfy all needs in one quick swoop. Though it had been some time, the albino remembered every step of the sacred ritual; first the tremble of satisfaction would take root inside him-where it continuously coiled to form a knot-then the skin would darken, fading to black and white, and then…._ then _the_ true _pleasure would start._

 _With this pleasure, ordinarily came another emotion: the desire to slaughter everyone, it was a good feeling. Unlike other times, the desire was more imminent than it had been in years, driving the mentality of the albino wild._

 _"Please," When the choked sob reached Hidan's ears, he looked down from the sky to the ninja who flinched at the crazed grin and the wide purple eyes nearly at their breaking point. "Please," the voice was stronger, this time, wishful almost._

 _How truly,_ touching. . . . _Nah, it was completely pitiful the way he begged for his life, it left a bad taste in the albino's mouth. This pathetic human being, bleeding out on the ground, should be grateful to him! He was about to be bestowed the greatest honor an insignificant ninja could receive._

 _"You lucky piece of shit! You'll be the first to have the fucking honor of dying by my hand! Hahahaha!" The ninja cringed, looking between both Hidan and the bloody pentagram he stood in, towering over him with that insane smile and scythe loyally in his firm grip._

 _When he saw the ninja's eyes darken in fear, the satisfied albino turned away to look down on his body that he was sure had darkened by now….but was shocked when pale skin met his eyesight._

 _ **"What the fucking hell!?"** Confused and angry Hidan searched his upper torso that, at the moment, was lacking the shirt and cloak-both having been discarded during the fight-but the black skin with white bone markings was nowhere on his person._

 _The albino grit his teeth, shifting as inner turmoil tore at his mind; he'd been waiting all these torturing hours to finally feel fulfilled by killing everyone, sharing their pain as each died._

 _Where was his mind blowing experience!? Why hadn't it worked?_

 _He'd taken in the blood, and drawn the. . . .Widening the range of eyesight, Hidan focused on the next thing: the pentagram below him that he'd smeared onto the ground by his own hand, drawn so rhythmically that he could probably draw it in his sleep if given the chance._

 _The longer the albino stared at the diagram that consisted of a large circle with a triangle centered in its interior, it seemed to be sneering up at him with a mocking smile, obviously knowing something that he did not._

 _Pale skin turned an ashen gray as the fists tightened on the handle of the scythe, anger was dripping from Hidan as his lips pierced his bottom lip in rage as he finally realized what the hell was going on._

 _ **"Jashin….that bastard!"** The longer he stared the more the diagram seemed to sneer up at the albino with a mocking smile._

 _Hidan was beyond pissed, almost to the point of fucking giving up and going all savage on the ninja without the ritual, one good slice to the skull was enough to end this weaklings life._

 _Purple eyes turned to face the ninja whose own eyes widened at the dark look that overcame the Akatsuki members face, his rage showing in the twitching expression he bore. The ninja had never seen such a look before, knowing full well that this man truly was insane._

 _It only took a second for the ninja to become aware of possible future events, he ducked down as best as he could as Hidan viciously growled, swinging the scythe up and then down._

 _Drip. . . . . Drip . . . . . .Drip._

 _Frightened and trembling, the ninja slowly opened one eye and dared to look up at the enemy, wondering how he possibly could still be alive when this unstable man seemed prepared to slash him to pieces._

 _The albino's eyes were full of rage and curiosity as he stared down at his arm that had the three blades of his scythe protruding from it; aroma of fresh blood filled the air as it cried down the curve of the arm before cascading to the ground where it pooled with other puddles that made up half the battleground._

 _Bleeding from his own wound, the ninja began to edge away hoping that this young man's crisis was just enough to sneak off…. But stopped when he noticed the Akatsuki member trembling with a weird smile on his face._

 _"Still the best pain ever, and yet," purple eyes found the ninja who froze, "your arm is still intact...just as I fucking thought, hmph!" The pleasurable look vanished from his face, replaced with that of smugness._

 _No longer seeming to care about the wounded ninja, Hidan turned up to the sky where he pointed up his middle finger. "Fuck you, Jashin!_ You hear me?! _I get it now you asshole!"_

 _The albino was cursing the sky over and over, eyes blazing with so much hate that he didn't notice the wounded ninja flick to something behind him._

 _Originally the entire ordeal had started when the two parties had met on the road, four village ninja against two S-Class ninja, seemed easy enough. One ninja was in front of Hidan, two others in the company of Kakuzu, and the other…._

 _Still cursing his old god with everything he had, Hidan didn't notice the hiding ninja until she had already launched herself over his head and entering into his eyesight._

 _The anger vanished, Hidan smiling no longer caring at all that the ritual hadn't worked, he didn't need it, he could kill them with his own abilities! It only took a simple turn for the albino to sidestep the blade aimed at his forehead and flick his scythe majestically upwards to tear into the girl as her body entered into his weapons range._

 _Eyes widening, the girl tried to swing in mid-air as the red and white weapon neared her skull. "Have a taste of your own medicine, bitch!" Digging into the skull brought another glorious smell of blood, the damage not life threatening as the sword was wedged between the top and middle blades of Hidan's scythe, stopping its descent from penetrating the female ninja's brain._

 _Red spread down the girl's hair like a curtain as her fierce eyes met Hidan who grinned manically down on her. "Give up, you can't beat me, damn bitch." The three gouges that the albino had done to himself a few minutes ago was healing rapidly, seemed that some life threatening wounds were ok, but Hidan was suddenly positive that cutting off his head would surely end him, still he smiled._

 _"Don't count on it, Akatsuki scum!" When the albino took another step back so that he could punch the girl in the stomach, still bleeding, the wounded ninja dove forward, digging his kunai into Hidan's leg with abandon._

 _The agony of the knife entering the skin-where the foot met the leg-was a torture that hadn't occurred to the albino in several years now, there was no pleasure, no release from this, only a burning sensation that made Hidan want to throw up._

 _Trying not to give into the weakness, he twirled around; the ninja gasped as a knee was crushed up into his jaw, wrenching it so far back that it snapped bringing his lifeless body to the ground. Flinching at the bad hole in his leg, the albino landed on one knee, the other ached too much to stand properly._

 _Without realizing it, Hidan had decided enemies, so there was no time to react when Hidan looked over his shoulder, the hand that moved the scythe was too slow and the sword too near his neck._

 _So this was how he was to die….again; at least it wasn't in another hole like last time, and this time he could go down fighting!_

 _He could see death, and in those final moments Hidan someone as he looked past the sword to the wielder, and his mind portrayed a different image. The ninja with fierce eyes was now the girl he'd fought, the one who had killed Pain…. Why her?_

 _As if god decided him worthy, the girl's eyes widened as her body was yanked somewhat and the sword changed course, metal met flesh and tore straight down Hidan's arm as he caught sight of the black string wrapped around the girl's foot. Seeing the string as well, the female ninja cruelly pulled the sword out of the appendage that was bleeding profusely and used it to cut the black wiggling thing off her foot._

 _The two separate wounds-one on the leg, the other on the arm-burned like hell as the world became fuzzy before the purple eyes that stared at the blood twirling down the arm from the long cut._

 _Any and all hearing was lost when both ears rang with loud pings that brought on a sense of nausea; the good hand still clutching the scythe weakly swung it up when Hidan noticed that the sword was being swung again, the destination, again, was his neck._

 _Before either weapon could meet the wielders, Hidan's vision was obscured by Kakuzu who was suddenly there, his back filling the albino's vision completely as the older man grasped the girl by the throat, breaking it easily._

 _The cursed sword fell to the ground along with the body._

 _Breathing heavily, cupping his aching arm Hidan stared up at his partner in shock; Kakuzu looked over his shoulder, gazing down on his partner with a frown._

 _"You've weakened considerably, Hidan."_

Sighing, Hidan closed his eyes on viewing the useless arm that seemed to be a testament of how weak he'd actually become; however, the albino was not one to admit he was weak, far from it. With immortality came conceit as he became unstoppable, and in truth he nearly was-that is if the head remained attached to his shoulder. There was a part of the albino who was both saddened and disgusted at his current state, being brought this low by such weaklings. . . he couldn't stand it; Kakuzu had been right.

The battle had brought to light certain weaknesses that Hidan now thought over, deciding to face each head on and come to accept each one. One of the first things to take note of was that the ritual would no longer work if Hidan shunned Jashin as he did now, it might work if he did it without the connection to the death god. . .so no more bloody pentagrams probably.

Yeah, he'd test that theory later just make sure it worked.

Fast healing abilities were still on the table, all wounds self-inflicted recovered at the normal pace while ones distributed by others took longer to fix up, which would explain why his arm was still limp and the leg was pulsing with each limped step forward.

Hidan was saddened at the loss of total immortality but as long as he could still kill people with a curse, whether it be a new kind did not matter, just as long as he wasn't as weak as he originally thought.

* * *

There it was again, Deidara's eye twitched at the sound of footsteps following close behind him, they weren't particularly loud, but it was hard not to notice them.

Having had enough of being followed to his room, the blonde stopped mid stride-having a glare ready-he turned around with one swift twist of the upper body, the scarlet cloak swishing along his ankles for the ride.

Even though the light in the tunnel was nonexistent, the single vivid blue eye-that seemed to glow-spotted the other Akatsuki member without hesitance since he already knew who it was.

"Tobi, for the _last_ time: _Leave. Me. Alone_!" Tobi was so close that when Deidara turned around to continue to his room, his hair nearly hit the other in the face from its whiplash and the sharp turn.

"But senpai! It's boring here for Tobi! Tobi doesn't know what to do with himself!" The shrill voice echoed in the narrow tunnel issuing a pounding headache that leaked into the blonde's head-who rose to massage the forehead with a groan of displeasure.

"Shut up, un!" Keeping the slow stride-he refused to speed up for this nuisance-Deidara glanced over his shoulder, still grasping his forehead and headband with one hand. "Go annoy someone else for awhile, hmph." Tobi ignored the comment, now walking right behind his past partner; the white mask he now wore was nearly as seeable in the dark as the single blue eye. Still glaring over his shoulder, the blonde observed that mask with calculating eyes. . .Tobi's mental state was questionable, but with this new look-that Deidara didn't like much-he seemed older and more mature just based on that. . . the blonde _really_ didn't like it.

Noticing that the other wasn't leaving, Deidara abruptly stopped, causing Tobi to crash into his back; confused, Tobi looked over the blonde's shoulder and jumped back when the other went to grasp some clay from the pouch around his waist.

"Wait senpai! If you do that so far below the surface, both you and Tobi will die!"

The blonde huffed. "Then stop following me, Tobi, now. I will not have you near me while I rest and wait, un." It would be another two hours before Deidara's team was to leave in search for the girl.

There was a smile now at the thought of showing Pain's killer _true_ art this time since she'd disappeared last time during the middle of its fleetingness.

"...Then what should Tobi do?"

"Wait until we leave, hmph. I don't care what you do, just leave me alone,un. I must be fully rested for showing off my art to the fullest."

To Deidara's surprise and pleasure, when he began walking again, Tobi didn't follow; half tempted to turn and ask what happened, the blonde pushed himself onwards. The mystery of his idiotic partner would have to wait, right now he wanted just a bit more sleep.

If Deidara had turned around he would have been welcomed with the sight of White Zetsu morphing his head up from the ground near Tobi's foot.

The roof got closer and closer the blonde's head as the familiar weird curve of rock met his entrance to the terrorist's room.

When his footsteps ceased, Deidara could swear that he heard a deep voice from the tunnel he'd just walked down. Grasping the edge of curved wall that was the 'door' to his room, the blonde turned around and looked down the tunnel.

The deep voice flowed down the tunnel, barely a murmur in the silence, so quiet was it that Deidara couldn't catch the words being said. And just as sudden as it started, the deep voice stopped as if realizing that a certain blonde was listening; only silence filled the air now, shrugging Deidara turned around and entered his room with a yawn.

* * *

"Hidan, let's go." Kakuzu angrily blinked at the lack of movement from his partner, who absentmindedly traced a finger up the long cut on his arm, as if touching it proved just how real it was to him.

Why did Hidan always have to test him like this, he knew just how easily the older man was angered and did this deliberately most of the time; if he continued to be this incoherent Kakuzu knew certain measures would have to be taken.

"Now, you're wasting time." Looking up to meet the older man's gaze, a spark came into Hidan's eyes-turning that blank stare of deep thinking to that of a glare-those purple orbs becoming iridescent with its intensity and lack of sunlight.

One Akatsuki member glared upwards and one glared downwards, gazes linked in an angered stare down; neither backed down from it, Hidan-antsy and tested-was pissed and trembling in the way an animal usually did before it lunged with a bite to the jugular, while Kakuzu-annoyed and irked-was prepared to kill the bastard here and now if he decided to attack him.

A clap of thunder filled the sky above-neither ignorant of it-lightning stretched a glowing hand near the ground as the first few drops of rain splattered against their shoulders.

"We don't have time for your crisis'," turning back around, Kakuzu-trying desperately to hook onto some calmness-began walking down the road; the albino could stay there all day for all he cared.

Kakuzu took a deep breath, concentrating on the mission instead of Hidan.

Must remain calm.

Kakuzu's words about his crisis were the final push that Hidan's stressful mind needed, eyes twitching like mad, he snapped and flew forward in a blind rage.

It was the air current of the swinging scythe the older man sensed first, footsteps-rushing at him-came second; hardening the left hand, Kakuzu swung around to face the Akatsuki member.

As scythe and hand collided, a loud smack followed of the two hard objects met in unison.

Standing there, face to face-one scythe trembling to inch closer to slice and one hand rock solid in its hold-Hidan snarled at his partner who frowned with a deadly glare of his own, it was a glare that showed how close Kakuzu was to blowing a fuse.

It was an anger on anger staredown.

"You know, it was _your_ idea to use the shitty road, Kakuzu!" Neither moved as scythe and hand kept either from advancing. "I said to go through the forest! But noooo, _my_ idea was so stupid that you bypassed it to take the fucking road. And who did that lead us to!?" It was true, the older man had thought that-based on Black Zetsu and Kabuto's words-that all ninja would be in specific areas preparing for war. Lack of this knowledge did not give Hidan the right to act like a child and have a hissy fit like this, all because of a simple set of wounds, it was pissing the older man off to no end. "THE FUCKING DAMN NINJA! That's _who_ , you fucker! If we'd taken the forest road I wouldn't be in this fucking condition, you damn asshole!" How dare this little. . . gritting his teeth, Kakuzu softened his hand and clenched one of the red blades, tearing the entire weapon away from its owner, and throwing it behind him, causing Hidan to groan in pain as he stumbled onto his bad leg, limp arm dangling like a noodle.

"What the hell was that f-" Glancing up Hidan was met with red and green eyes as the older man shot forward; the hand that encircled the albino's throat was that of a vice, the grip immediately taking the air right out of Hidan's throat, the sentence dying on his parted lips that gasped for oxygen.

Kakuzu wasn't a total fool, he had familiarized himself with which abilities his partner lacked, and which he had gained, so that he now knew that if the albino were to lose his head, immortal or not, he'd die.

Two pale hands came up to try and wretch off Kakuzu's grip that was increasing its dangerous force on the neck. Eyes widening at the decreasing intake of air, Hidan strained to pull the older man from him but Kakuzu wasn't looking to let go anytime soon.

"F-Fucker, LET GO!" It was getting harder to breath as the albino tried to kick forward, but that was easily avoided. Choking and sputtering out gasped curses, Hidan clawed at the tan hands with his nails as a seething Kakuzu watched the man's face turn a pale grayish blue.

The grip tightened, again and again, the restraint of the neck structure slowly crushing under the vicious hand; the albino could probably handle a few more deadly squeezes, then Kakuzu would finish the job by chopping off the head. To be rid of this giant nuisance would be a joy; no matter what White Zetsu said, this brat wasn't worth keeping alive.

"Hidan, I don't give a _damn_ about your crisis'," Kakuzu growled, holding the albino up so that he slowly hung himself by his own struggling. "And my name is not fucker, bastard, bitch, or asshole, you got that, you ungrateful little brat?"

"Gah, stop!" Hidan's eyes became unfocused and bugged out as a disabling squeeze was ushered, the pulling of his own appendages stopped as the color left the albino's face. "K-Kakuzu. . . I'm no longer-i-immortal. . ." Lightning flashed, illuminating Kakuzu's soaked face, his hair plastered to the sides of his head like thick curtains. "No longer immortal? Do you think I care, Hidan? Immortal or not, you will follow my orders." With the other closed, only one purple eye met Kakuzu's gaze.

"Like you, my immortality was _everything_ , you bastard-" The clutch gave a good crush to the neck, making Hidan break off into coughs; Kakuzu was given a violent glare when he chokingly stopped, both knowing that if any more pressure was applied, the neck would break like a simple twig.

"I told you, that isn't my name." Kakuzu blinked. "You forget that I am not truly immortal. I can die like any other if killed a certain amount of times, you know that." Hidan was gazing up at the sky now, trying to breathe by craning his face upwards in the grasp. "Your abilities have changed, Hidan. How about, instead of whining like a child, you learn how to use them how they are and stop annoying me?

"Your immortality isn't everything, and currently, it isn't really anything anymore, now is it?" There was an exhale from the older man whose anger was ebbing away. "Now, you can stop acting like losing your _ritual_ is the end of the world and come along or I kill you right here." The word had a disgusted tone attached to it, hinting that Kakuzu had known that it brought his partner some kind of pleasure other than the joy of slaughter.

Kakuzu actually didn't wait for an answer in words, he only had to see the resolve in the albino's eyes and to Hidan's surprise, the hand crushing his neck was released.

The sound of rain falling around them was nearly drowned out by the coughing, hacking, and gasping that filled the air as the albino lay on the ground, rubbing a hand across his neck.

Turning away from Hidan who was quickly comprehending his partner's words, Kakuzu took a few steps, grasped the scythe he'd thrown and silently held it out to its wielder.

" Nothing really has changed, you can still act immortal. You just have to be more careful during your new fighting style." When the scythe came into the bent albino's head's vision, he looked up past the weapon to Kakuzu. There was a silent exchange, the rain began falling with piercing intensity as Hidan gave the older man a genuine smile.

"Fucking thank you, Kakuzu."

* * *

Obito knew that White Zetsu was waiting at his feet, the single green eye watching him in patience; instead of returning the look, the Uchiha watched Deidara's figure that was receding into the shadows, only his hair visual in the dark. The rinnegan and sharingan remained on the blonde until he followed the curve of the tunnel to his room, disappearing from vision altogether, even then the Akatsuki leader waited until the footsteps grew fainter the more distant was placed between them.

Satisfied that they were out of earshot, Obito looked down at his old friend, blinking behind the mask in question as to why White Zetsu had a frown on his face.

"What's wrong?" The white being was positive most of the time, to see the being conflicted over something was rare.

Morphing the rest of his upper torso out of the ground, White Zetsu leaned his elbows onto the rock and rested his head in the hands as he peered abstentmindingly at the Akatsuki leader.

"I was wondering about the girl that killed Pain." Ah, _that_ subject again. A person able to kill Pain, that had been on everyone's minds lately, even Obito's.

Leaning up against the wall, the Akatsuki gestured for the other to continue.

"Well, don't you think it's weird. I couldn't find Nagato's body anywhere." This caught Obito's attention.

"What? You're the best sensory ninja we have, and even you couldn't…." Trailing off the Akatsuki leader frowned angrily if the white being couldn't find the corpse, then what the hell were they up against here?

"That's not all, Obito." It was a simple eye exchange that made White Zetsu shut up as the Uchiha gave him a look.

It was faint, so diminished that it was hardly noticeable but Obito always knew when he was being watched. Someone was listening to their conversation.

Placing a hand on the white beings shoulder, the Akatsuki leader teleported them to his own dimension, erasing their surroundings to that of a world consisting only of a floor made up of blocks varying in sizes.

"I think we have an enemy in our midst." That was all that needed to be said on the subject. "White Zetsu, I don't care how you do it but when we leave here I want you to find this person; now continue on with what you were saying from before we were interrupted." White Zetsu was curious as to why the Uchiha hadn't simply gone after the other right then but he understood that Obito wanted to wait to find out what this person wanted, there were numerous reasons as to why someone would spy on them, it could have been just a random Akatsuki member passing by and listening in, in curiosity.

"As I was saying, so we were told that this girl that came to our hideout earlier, was the killer. However, when I went to where she battled Kakuzu's group, I found something interesting." Obito waited patiently, crossing his arms over his chest. "You can always tell if someone has fought a certain person, usually when two chakra lifeforms battle, a bit of the others chakra clings on for awhile after the battle; just a hint of it will be on a person for a few hours at least. But when I came across the girls chakra, there was nothing of the sort. It was as if she hadn't even battled him."

"Are you sure? Maybe she erased it, was the smell of blood on her, or any evidence of her presence in Nagato's room?"

White Zetsu looked at the ground, then back up the Uchiha.

"There was nothing which leads me to believe that she _isn't_ the one who killed Pain."

* * *

Of course, they had to notice him just when White Zetsu was about to spill what he was suspicious about concerning the Nagato incident. Black Zetsu's luck had been sucking recently. However, knowing that his counterpart was growing curious over the whole thing, meant that the white being would try and find out the truth. . . Black Zetsu couldn't allow that.

Well, if White Zetsu became too much of nuisance, then he could personally ask Nagato who killed him in hell.

Grinning to himself, Black Zetsu traveled through the wall, wondering if Orochimaru had found May yet, she would be turning up sooner or later, he was positive about that.

* * *

 **Author:** Heyo my lovely readers! Sorry for taking so much time on this chapter, it turned out to take awhile to write this much and correct it, I also was busy celebrating my 18th birthday. But this chapter is my present to all of you for sticking with this story through thick and thin! The series of May and the Akatsuki is almost three years old starting July 23rd... that is a crazy thought.

Anyway, Black Zetsu sure is the same one we knew, not seeming to care if he has to kill his counterpart at all, poor White Zetsu, I actually really like his personality and contribution to the storyline.

Thanks for reading the chapter! The next will have May and Kabuto, I promise!

Review if you have time. ;)

See ya all later, love ya!

-Jinx of the desert


	11. In Which Our Apprehension

**-J-**

* * *

11: In Which Our Apprehension

Akatsuki's Time: May 17

May's Time: Younger days of a Certain Medic

* * *

The day had started out warm and full of sunlight, now only tears were contributed onto the two Akatsuki members shoulders, trying to portray how despairing it was to watch their mission occurs under its penetrating gaze. A rainstorm was of little consequence to Itachi and Kisame, they only pushed onwards as if the sun were still encouraging them from up above.

Kisame was used to walking in the rain, that, for some reason, always seemed to happen whenever they left for a mission, so he no longer minded the clinging of his cloak to the bare arms underneath, or the frigid chill contained in those simple drops of water.

Now the shark and the raven had been partners for a few years now, and Kisame wasn't one to brag, but reading the others emotions had become somewhat simple to him. Small facial cues on Itachi's face were caught by the shark instantly nowadays while a stranger would be oblivious to the simple changes. So when Kisame caught the Uchiha gazing up into the clouds more than twice he began to pay closer attention to the facial structure of his partner, looking for any hint of what was going on inside Itachi's mind.

Itachi had a way in which his black eyes watched the sky, following the bolts of lightning that flashed, he was thinking about something, brooding from the intensity of the stare.

Confirming that the raven's mind wasn't on the mission, Kisame looked way and returned his attention to walking.

"I don't think I've seen you like this for some time, Itachi." Opening his mouth, the shark grinned to himself, baring sharp teeth to the crying world that took this second to bring up a powerful gush of wind.

When the wind died down and there was still no answer from the Uchiha, the shark merely shrugged, he'd been half expecting the raven to lie to him, but the silence was also expected.

Shrugging off the question, Kisame swallowed and w-

"Kisame," the sharks ears narrowed in on the voice as soon as Itachi spoke; to an average person, someone would think that the Uchiha sounded normal with his monotone voice that never rose in pitch, but Kisame could note that the tone sounded different.

What was going on today? The weird brooding glances to the sky, strange voice undertones. . . the blue man couldn't help but think back to the days prior to Itachi's death; his actions mirrored now almost perfectly.

No, nothing like that was going to happen again, he was sure about that. Itachi and his younger brother, Sasuke had settled things. But if the Uchiha only got riled up like this when concerning his little brother then what was troubling him now when Sasuke certainly wasn't the reason?

Taking a deep breath, Kisame ceased walking-the wet cloak sticking to his soaked arms like a second skin-and turned around to face his partner, looking down to meet the Uchiha's gaze head on.

Itachi's eyes were still directed towards the sky, but they quickly reverted to meet the beady yellow eyes, even now his eyes were thinking, calculating like only he could.

This kind of thinking meant that Kisame was to stay silent and wait until the other had finished situating each thought. Though he was confused and wanted to ask so many questions as to why Itachi was acting this way, Kisame knew not to push him, he'd get the answers soon enough.

"Ever since we woke up," Itachi looked under his eyebrows with a blank expression. "Have you had the feeling that we've lost something important?" If it had been any other Akatsuki member saying this Kisame would have shrugged it off, knowing that it really wasn't his problem or his business. But with Itachi, it was different; if the Uchiha thought that this was important then it was worth looking into, no matter how perplexing it was.

Cocking his head to the side, the shark rubbed a few fingers across the copper band on his fingers, smearing the waterdrops that had managed to cling to its smooth surface.

Was Itachi referring to something important? Trying to think back, Kisame racked his brain before his beady eyes widened and he answered. "Yeah, I lost Samahada, but I know where it is." At the thought of his mighty sword, the eight tail's jinchuuriki appeared in the blue man's mind as he recalled the betrayal of his-once-faithful sharkskin blade, it was still with that rapping cloud ninja.

Itachi-who had been sneaking glances around their current area-glanced back and shook his head, obviously not pleased with the answer to his question.

"Let me reword it for you," the raven's hand was pulled up through his sleeve and taken out the front of his cloak to lean on the zipper, it was so familiar that Kisame hardly noticed it as he waited. "I meant that _we all_ lost something." There was no response. "Have you not felt like there's something missing from our lives?"

For the life of him, Kisame couldn't think of anything that they'd lost that could affect all the Akatsuki emotionally, it wouldn't be an object-there was nothing that the Akatsuki all owned as a single entity-. .a person? A _single_ person, no, that seemed wrong as well, they certainly couldn't care for the _same_ person, that would be impossible, they never would have gotten along for that.

But with an object and person ruled out, what left was there?

Kisame hated being confused, probably just as much as lies, but he especially hated ones that he saw no way around. There was no third option and the first two seemed highly unlikely.

Groaning, the shark scratched the side of his head, giving a yielding smile. "Ugh, well I can't think of anything, Itachi. You sure, it isn't just you?" Itachi frowned at the final answer and glanced back up at the sky as two streaks of lighting intertwined up in the clouds.

"Though it's possible that I am the only one. . .I believe that there is a connection between this feeling and the person who killed Pain. You know of who I speak, correct?". . . that was like asking if someone knew the grass was green, she seemed to be all over everyone's minds at the moment, for Kisame, he wanted to stop talking about her and just _find_ her already. Ever since the knowledge of Pain's defeat, he'd been itching for a good fight, riveted with the desire for the adrenaline rush that would accompany such a tense battle.

Itachi eyed his partner, arching an eyebrow at the silence, asking without words whether the shark understood who the raven was talking about. Sensing the gaze, Kisame answered with a roll of his eyes. "Yep, how could I not know; Deidara and Hidan wouldn't shut up about wanting to kill her." Compared to the terrorist and albino's bloodlust, the shark's was usually pretty tame, however, he was thirsting for a riveting fight. "What does she have to do with our losing something?" At last, Kisame saw a connection. "Are you talking about Pain in general? We did lose him, after all."

It made so much sense if it was h-

"No."

"Then finish your thought, Itachi, the truth, all of it, please."

The girl was somehow connected into all of this. . _._ that didn't make much sense, her only connection to the Akatsuki so far was killing Pain, angering their organization, and eventually becoming a new member. If Pain wasn't the link then Kisame was even more lost than he had been. Confused, the shark waited, trying to reassure himself; even with his youth, the Uchiha was a genius in his own right, however, was known to _lie_.

Before the shark's own passing, the masked Akatsuki leader-Madara-had pulled him aside and relaid everything concerning Itachi's past, why he did that may never be known, but Kisame knew and that was that.

Itachi Uchiha's life was a lie, _he_ was a lie; clever liars were dangerous in this ninja world, but Kisame had never asked point blank questions of the raven's life, so Itachi hadn't really ever lied to him.

But if you've never asked a liar questions, does that make that person a liar?

In the logic sense, yes, they're still a liar, even if Kisame had never asked.

A liar, the shark hated them, but Itachi. . .was a comrade, a _friend_. He couldn't hate his partner for such deceit; sometimes lies were inevitable and the raven had had to bare all of it on his own.

"I've met her before." Scratching the back of his head, Kisame closed his eyes, not completely sure if he was to be surprised or to hold expectation.

If this girl had already met one Akatsuki member, then that would give her a reason to attack them. . . but what didn't add up was that she'd killed _Pain_ , not Itachi. If a grudge had been placed onto the raven's shoulders, wouldn't he have been the one to be judged? It didn't make any sense why it was Pain. . . .unless she didn't hate Itachi, but the Akatsuki. If one hated the Akatsuki then it wasn't a stretch to think that said person would attack and kill the leader in hopes of making the group go their separate ways.

But, other than all that mess of thoughts, there was one thing that Kisame couldn't help wondering: why would Itachi and Pain's killer have met?

Was it possible that. . .Itachi actually knew her from his past? Madara had never really hinted at the raven's old comrades, friends, or lovers, only the devastation of a liar's life.

Allowing a small sigh to escape, Kisame eyed his partner's expression, no this wasn't any kind of comrade from the look he was giving, a friend then. . . no.

If this girl wasn't a comrade or friend then she could only be an enemy.

"Enemy," it was a question that Itachi solemnly nodded to.

"We met seven years ago on the night of the Uchiha massacre." Itachi rubbed a hand over his eyes. "The way she acted, I knew she'd seen something from that night. All liabilities were to be erased and yet, besides Sasuke, she too, escaped." When the hand dropped from the raven's smooth face, the two coal black eyes swirling with concentration and determination met Kisame.

In reality, Itachi had only heard of the girl yesterday and seemed to have devoted all his waking hours to thinking about this girl and all the times their paths had crossed. Such devotion was just who Itachi was, once he set his eyes on something-in this case, a _problem-it_ usually is figured out.

"However, you should know her too, Kisame."

"I should?"

"You and I both met her a few years ago when we went to capture the nine tails jinchuuriki, remember?" Kisame took a breath as he recalled that mission, he remembered tracking down the kid to a hotel and meeting up with a blonde haired girl who had talked to Itachi and tried to save Naruto in some ways.

 _She_ was the one who had killed Pain?

Not to mention that she'd been at the Uchiha massacre, and had escaped it. During the fight to capture the nine tails, she'd seemed so weak and had even sustained a shredded shoulder from Samahada. But judging by appearances was never a good tactic for any ninja, it wouldn't have been difficult to pretend to be the weak maiden she appeared to be.

Instead of judging by looks, Kisame would go off the fact that the girl had managed to give Itachi the slip. When the raven wanted someone dead, it was definite that they'd end up dead in a ditch somewhere; so to hear that someone had gotten away from him. . . that was no small feat.

Kisame could say with confidence that he now understood the two sides of Black and White Zetsu. Black Zetsu's idea to kill the girl meant getting rid of someone who could prove to be an extensive problem in the future; while with White Zetsu, bringing her into the Akatsuki meant much needed strength to win the war that Madara had begun.

Knowing that Kisame had come to the same conclusion, Itachi swallowed and glanced up at the sky that growled viciously, as if not liking their thoughts and words. "There's one other thing. ."

Kisame couldn't think of any other _things_ , his mind was already trying to figure out why so many connections were stitching them together. Meeting a particular person so many times was rare, especially if they managed to piss you off each time, and they were Akatsuki. What was going on here? "I remembered something about the girl."

"Yeah, so what, Itachi?"  
"It's something that I can say without a doubt has never happened to me."

.. . . . Kisame shifted in his cloak, unsure what was going on.

"It was a memory that I don't recall ever happening, Kisame. Do you know what that means?"

The situation had officially left the confine of the shark's brain, he scratched the back of his neck and curled his arms over his chest in deep thought. If someone remembered something they shouldn't. . . couldn't be genjutsu, it couldn't be. . . .

Beady yellow eyes widened.

"Memory alteration." Itachi nodded.

Once it was thought over, the idea certainly made sense. Maybe they'd somehow met her before and that was why she was suddenly turning up everywhere. Kisame really didn't like the idea but there was no other explanation to be seen.

"Itachi, tell me what that memory was, please."

As the two continued to talk while beginning their walk once more both came to the same conclusion that if something was going on on the inside of the Akatsuki, they would have to be prepared and keep an ear out. If someone had messed with their memories then who knew what their next step was.

But out of all this, there was one thing clear to Kisame, whoever had done this was lying to them.

Kisame Hoshigaki couldn't stand liars.

* * *

 **Author:** Another chapter and still no May! Sorry about that, she was going to make an appearance in this chapter but if she had the chapter would have been way to long and taken even more time since it's not even half done. May will be in the next one, I promise (she'll be the main star again for chapter 12).

Thank you for taking the time to read the story and review if you have the time!

See ya all later, love ya!

-Jinx of the desert


	12. In Which Our Adversity

**-J-**

* * *

12: In Which Our Adversity

Akatsuki's Time: May 17

May's Time: Younger days of a Certain Medic

* * *

The water of the large natural hot spring was so warm that I pulled back the finger I'd sent to test the steamy water in haste; the temperature wasn't too the point of burning but still managed to cause a reaction at the first touch.

Trembles racked my shoulders when the light breeze caught hold of the damp finger-preying on its weakness with glee-materializing goosebumps as the finger was rubbed against my pants leg, hoping to stop the upcoming shivers.

Puffs of steamy air shuffled about me, filtering up from the water to swirl around overhead, creating a layer of sweat over my warm cheeks, as if reassuring me that the water wasn't as stifling as it appeared to be. With such warmth all about, the goosebumps were soon history and replaced with more beads of sweat that dotted my skin like a dart board.

Giving a deep inhale, I shifted in my crouched position on the bank and peered down into the misty spring that showed a dim image of myself on top of the rippling surface.

Placing my chin in my hand, the water kept hold of the gaze as I stared back at the girl who undoubtedly was me. . .and yet she didn't seem like me. She held the same blue eyes, short platinum hair, and body weight but this girl certainly wasn't what I'd expected to see when I had delved into the image below.

It never occurred to me just how much someone can change in a few days, but now, looking at myself, I saw the difference. Though being presented a mirror seems insignificant, if one doesn't look at their appearance every once in awhile, a facial structure can change rapidly, especially to their own eye when next they look at themselves. This time-with me-was no different.

Unlike the last time I'd gazed at myself, there was a new look in my eyes, the pupil, and iris held concentration, stress and,when I peered close-my nose brushing the surface-beneath _that_ was pure affection.

I appeared older, my stare and face were mature in a way that I'd never thought achievable. . . what had I become since arriving here? What was I changing into?

Physical traits weren't the only aspects that pointed to maturity, it was in the little things, like how my head naturally seemed to tilt, the slight loss of weight in my face, and just how my body was crouched-as if ready to run in case of an emergency.

Two days had passed during my time in the ninja world and it had already begun molding me, inside and out.

If everything continued to go down hill, what would I be at the end? Would I, May Lawford-the innocent girl who loved the Akatsuki-still be here?

There was so much that I did not know and that scared me, but if only two days had altered me. . . .what would week's do?

Now that was a scary thought.

* * *

It felt like many hours passed while my eyes were stationed down into the stagnant water, breathing in the smell that the spring produced, a smell that hinted at various minerals working underneath the surface; it was an appealing scent that made all my bones feel like jelly inside my fleshy skin.

It was so warm and comfortable in this little haven that, for a second, I nearly forgot that this was the ninja world, that I was somewhere in the past, and in the future Itachi and Kisame were still trying to kill me.

Biting my lip, I cast a quick look behind me, first to the left, then to the right in search of prying eyes. I knew very well that Kabuto wasn't watching-he was too sweet and innocent in that way to care for such things yet-but there was something unnerving about stripping in the middle of the woods with only the steam for cover.

When my brain was satisfied that no one was around to see me-I took a deep breath, my bare feet digging into the wet ground nervously-and began to try and work the zipper down the jacket with my right hand. A cascade of dried dirt flaked off with each shift, the left arm swinging in perfect unison, still pulsing with as much agony as when Kisame had shredded it.

Kabuto had been sending glances at the gashed shoulder all the way up to the spring, giving me the impression that it truly was a bad injury, I had yet to fully look at it. A part of me was scared of what I'd see, mostly based on the young medics reaction, but also to see how close to death I was and what one of the men I loved, could do. The thought certainly was silly but if the entire situation hadn't been real before, it was now.

I grunted in pain when the zipper snagged on a thick piece of dirt, the arm shifting back and forth in an unbearable fashion. After a few good yanks, the stubborn zipper finally broke free; the next step was what was truly going to be difficult.

Distributing a small tug to the left sleeve was when I realized that the blood had melded the top of the jacket to the wound.

One deep breath and I'd slipped the right arm out. On the second breath, I waited, placing the palm on the skin where the neck met shoulder, right next to where the gash was.

On the third breath, the right hand shifted over, immediately dipping down into the bloody hole. There was a gag from my throat as the fingertips came into contact with bone, scarred and peeling flesh rubbing against it.

 _"Don't look at it. . . you'll puke."_ The stomach sent up a rising sensation in my throat the was swiftly re-swallowed.

Trying to ignore the knowledge of what exactly I was digging into, my fingers found the cloth that had been wedged down; gritting my teeth I grasped onto the fabric and gave a good yank. A tiny squeal came from my mouth as the shoulder spasmed with torment, black filling my vision from such suffering.

Not caring I tore the jacket from me, growling from the discomfort and dry heaving against the hand I rose to cover my mouth.

I was going to throw up, the feeling was growing along with the smell of blood that was emanating from the hand. One by one I counted to ten inside my head, trying to keep myself from puking up stuff that certainly wasn't inside the stomach.

Five minutes had passed when the pain lessened and I straightened up again and continued on, ignoring the arm as best I could.

Just as the bottom of the shirt had reached my bra line the hairs on the back of my neck rose, the salvia disappeared from my mouth and it suddenly became hard to breathe the steamy air.

I wasn't very smart but this sensation was unmistakable.

There was someone here, watching, and it wasn't Kabuto.

 _"Who in the world would be watc-"_ A red hot blush slapped itself across my cheeks at the thought of a possible pervert. . . well, ninja were human after all. It truly was a disgusting thought and my stomach gave an unhappy rolling sensation as if it too did not agree with such actions.

Kabuto had left me here in order to give the privacy I needed; my hands were suddenly clammy, I numbly wiped them against the bottom of the shirt not truly sensing the movement.

Blue eyes darted to the right and left before daring to peek behind me, the mist was so dense that the whole forest seemed to move with the steam itself and gave off no signs of human life.

Suddenly aware of just how alone I was, the action of undressing was discarded and instead I jumped, folding my legs up in preparation. The water met me halfway as my form crashed into the scalding water that hissed at the contact with cold skin, burning it without remorse. If there hadn't been someone watching, a cry of pain would have been in order, but the heat was no longer a priority, just as long as those eyes would stop boring holes into the back of my head.

To my relief, that hot stare vanished and I was left with peace as the water shifted around me like it was alive.

The world beneath the surface of the water was silent, the liquid so full of minerals that all vision was obscured to that of a light greenish blue, not even the bottom was visible. Soon that wonderful mistiness was blurred with a dark red the seeped up from the shoulder, pumping lifeblood into the mix.

Hushed and silent, I peered up to where the top would be, but the water was so misty and bloody that it was like I'd fallen into a box with no top and no bottom, complete isolation.

I remained still, allowing the pain to pass and the heat to burn and make my skin accustomed to its warm welcome.

Slowly a straining sensation overtook my lungs. All I needed was to straighten my legs and both my head and shoulders would be out of the water with my feet stationed to the rocky floor as they were now, but the silence of this world was so wonderful that I was not at all tempted to rise up and claim what was rightfully mine.

The throat had evolved from a simple strain to a desperate burning, begging me to open my mouth for a breath of air that certainly wouldn't be reciprocated in this watery environment I'd encased myself in. It's no secret that all humans need air, and yet here I was, feeling torn. All it would take was a simple straightening of my legs and I would be up and gasping for air and yet the other wanted to stay beneath the water that was washing the mud off of me.

Staying in the water meant giving up, letting all the stress melt away into a suicidal attempt. It truly wouldn't take much to stay here, watch the ripples and breath in this mineral water till a drowning scene occurred.

A watery death, huh?

Gritting my teeth, I violently shook my attempt causing bubbles to circle around me; _"NO! There's no way that that is gonna happen to me! NOT ME!"_ The calm water was broken as I broke the surface, gasping for air that gratefully met my lips, instantly chilling the heated skin that had gotten used to the warmth of the water.

Multiple streams of water dripped down my face, plastering the short hair to cup my head as sound was returned to the ears that had gotten used to the dead silence of a drowned world. Blinking away the liquid that caught themselves on my lashes, I stood there listening to the sounds of the water rippling around me and feeling the light breeze whistle over my damp head.

It took a second for me to realize just what I'd been contemplating under those waves and it caused a shiver to trickle up my spine like a spider.

I'd nearly given up.  
A small sigh escaped me as arms wrapped around my stomach.

When first coming here I'd expected everything to go smoothly; find the Akatsuki and then come up with a way to take care of Black Zetsu permanently. Never had the thought crossed my mind that _everything_ would go wrong. As soon as the threshold had been crossed to enter this world, all negativity had been shoved into my face, one after another like bullets from a gun. There was such an abundant supply of unpleasantry that it was difficult to see the positivity in it all.

As much as Kabuto brought my spirits up I knew that such pessimistic complications were far from over- _"I could always stay."_ Shocked at the thought I frowned, why is it the mind sometimes supplies such opinions when they certainly weren't necessary? Even so. . .it was a logical thought, if-instead of going back-I stayed in the past with Kabuto then all my problems would cease. Time would go on and the Akatsuki would probably never meet me and it would be like it had never happened, a clean slate. _"But would the Akatsuki be better off never having met me?"_ That was something that couldn't be determined; because of our relationship both the Akatsuki and I had changed and become different people, was it possible that things could be better for them. . .without me?

Leaving them to forget and giving up was the easy way out.

 _"But, May, it would be so easy."_

. . . Damn these thoughts.

 _"Wait,"_ blue eyes widened as they looked at the edge of the spring where I'd jumped, simply seeing the edge was all it took for me to remember why the jump had taken place.

Someone had been watching me, the nerve!

With a bit of anger and fear, I peered up to where my jump had taken place; to my pleasure, the bank arched in a bowl-like manner that-when in the water-kept me hidden. Still I couldn't hide the suspicion that seemed to grow with each passing second, was it foolish to hope that they'd left?

Trying not to make much noise and be somewhat sneaky, I went onto my tippy toes and glanced over the edge of the spring towards the forest. It was annoying to find out that the mist was still hiding the forest from view, seeming to try and encase me in and make me believe that my world was only made up of this large spring.

Though the mist was exasperating to my current situation-I slid back down until my mouth was submerged-there was one positive aspect, if I couldn't see the forest, then no one could see me even without the bowl-like arch. This thought brought me clarity and calmed all my senses until I felt confident enough to rid myself of the dirty clothes.

Thick amounts of mud came off-mixing with the water-as the pants were unbuttoned, unzipped, and then carefully slid off. Ignoring the muddied water I began scrubbing the fabric until the fingers were beet red, still the cleaning commenced in hopes for it to be worn again. When all ten digits had a hard time bending, the pants were held up and examined; with a smile, they were pronounced clean and laid on the bank to dry.

With the steams assistance, I was feeling secure and confident enough to take off the clinging shirt and remove the bra-freeing the upper torso of all its coverings. As soon as the hot air brushed over the bare nipples I instinctively went to cover them before remembering that the murky water was successfully covering them from sight.

Breathing deeply, one hand was stretched up to the bank in search of the shampoo and conditioner bottles that had been fished out earlier from my bag; never had I been so thankful to have gone shopping before coming to the Naruto world, I had enough clothes and useful products to last awhile.

The instant my wet fingers found the round bottle of shampoo the hairs on the back of my neck prickled with abandon.

I inwardly sighed at the sensation.

I wasn't alone anymore.

Naturally, I thought it was the stalker from before, but there was something about this new gaze that felt different from the first time, it wasn't as intense, more bored. . .or amused.

"You know it's very rude to enter a spring and strip when it had already been claimed for the time being." There was a splash as I wheeled around, wincing at the injured arm. I became frantic, looking around the misted area as the ability to breathe escaped me. "Not to mention you are dirtying up the water, brat." The person's voice was deep, a man.

With a tremble, my eyes were directed to the injured arm that was bleeding into the water. No wonder I'd been spotted, the spring had been practically beautiful beforehand.

Because of the limited sight, the voice was the only hint of where the person was, meaning that they were somewhere in front of me, not close, but definitely not very far away. However, being in the spring was too close for my rattled self to take. Willingly, I pressed my back against the rocky wall, seeking any comfort I could get.

Who the hell was here? If they'd been this silent till now, they had to be a ninja! A lump formed in my throat at this thought. Not to mention that Kabuto wasn't nearby and I was injured, talk about a horrible combo.

Lacking rest and medicine, physically, I was in no position to be battling, even if it was a weak person, and if they'd called out as casually as they had, they were confident in their abilities.

 _"Well. . . maybe they're friendly? I mean, they haven't attacked. A ninja would have done that by now, and the voice doesn't really sound hostile."_

Running was an option, but the thought of making my way up the bank, naked, when the other stalker was up there probably waiting. . . that didn't sound safe.

Taking a deep breath of the thick mist, I decided to call out to the newcomer, trying to leave out the tremble that was coating my throat in alarm.

"Who are you?" A moment of silence met the question as if the other was debating whether to answer or not.

The wind must have been just as anxious as I, as it whipped down into the spring, pulling the mist right up and into the sky above. When it calmed down, the bowl-like spring was free of the murky air, leaving only the two people and the water.

Blinking at the sudden abundance of vision, the man's green eyes honed in on my face, taking in the features I possessed with a calculating look. Those eyes then lowered to my chest-biting my lip-I quickly wrapped my arms around the breasts, the older man boredly flicked his gaze back up to meet mine.

". . .Why should I answer that? _I_ was here first." Before seeing him, I'd had a difficult time breathing, now it had transformed into a dire hyperventilation as I recognized the other.

Here I was, naked, except for my underwear, while, across from me-from what I could see of his upper torso-was an equally nude man. Thick brown hair stopped around his chin, plastered around the sides of his face in wet clumps; unlike me, he was casually leaning against the far wall of the spring. His large tan arms were spread out to lay across the top of the bank in a way that translated just how unconcerned he was at being caught in such a personal way.

I was torn between two emotions. The first was a blissful joy, the second was total horror.

The older man shifted to lean his head against his hand cautiously as his Christmas colored eyes refrained from taking them off of me.

 _"Oh, Kakuzu. . . ."_


	13. In Which Our Lack of Finesse

**-J-**

* * *

13: In Which Our Lack of Finesse

Akatsuki's Time: May 17

May's Time: Younger days of a Certain Medic

* * *

In my youth, I've only ever witnessed examples of love from two people, one being my older brother, and the other being Gwen. When I was twelve, my brother, Marcus, came home sporting a young pretty girl on his left arm like a new bracelet-albeit she was his fifth partner in a broad love life. Marcus brandished her to our parents like she was his goddess, and he, her willing servant; until, after a week, she was a part of the family, and a week later, she was gone, like all the others before her.

My brother loved to carry his heart on his sleeve, taking and never giving back, and he carelessly introduced me to his version of love.

As soon as Gwen became my only friend, it became difficult not to be subjected to her rapid infatuation with the sexuality of the world surrounding her. Gwen had always had an eye for finding partners-you could say that she had a knack for it. Whenever she became locked onto someone, girl or boy, she went after them with the intellect of a mastermind, learning what made them tick and converting into the exact person they'd desire to possess.

If people got money for manipulation, stalking, vulgarness, and changing their personality, Gwen would be the richest person in the world.

The love that my brother distributed was fickle and Gwen's was disturbing, neither were my cup of tea and yet I still wasn't sure how to describe me and the Akatsuki.

Our love obviously wasn't perfect, fickle or disturbing; could what we have actually be true and sincere? You'd think not since we'd only known each other, going on three weeks now, that certainly wasn't a lot of time to learn each other's weaknesses. . .and yet, it felt like we knew each other front to back.

I came back to reality, all thoughts falling like autumn leaves in the wind when my brain started to hurt from the onslaught of opinions; thinking over such nonsense wasn't helping me anymore, and it wasn't aiding the stupid voice in the back of my head, the one that persisted in telling me to just stay in this time with Kabuto.

The water was level with my mouth, keeping it closed as we stared at each other in silence-it had been ten minutes since realizing each other's presence, and Kakuzu had yet to really do anything other than sit and watch.

His never ending gaze and nudity didn't help my nerves as I ceased roughly massaging the shampoo into my scalp and took a shuddering breath, debating whether to go under the water to wash off my hair.

I would just have to chance it.

Whether or not this was the Kakuzu I knew, he hadn't done anything threatening and I truthfully shouldn't be this hesitant around him because of that, but after everything I'd endured. . .I couldn't help it.

Coming to the conclusion that no harm would come to me, a look was given to the older man who only reacted with a lazy blink before nonchalantly sinking further into the water. If I hadn't known better, I would have been convinced that he didn't care one way or another what I did, but that half-lidded stare he kept on me didn't go unnoticed. Call it ironic, but the wariness displayed between us brought comfort to me. . .well, I realized something. No matter what had gone down in the last twenty-four hours, this Kakuzu wasn't related to any part of it; unlike the other Akatsuki members I'd met, this meeting was neutral and he had no reason to attack me.

This was the reason why my heart began going ninety miles an hour though I was calmer than I'd been in days.

Circulating these thoughts I came to the conclusion-sinking beneath the surface like a creature of the deep-that I trusted him. He wasn't _the_ Kakuzu, but he would eventually become one of the men that held my love and devotion.

Once the water overcame my head, I turned away from the older man's direction, yes, the water wasn't see-through but I was a woman who could happily prolong looking at a bare man until marriage. . .if I could help it since Hidan's nakedness had been displayed to my eye on many occasions.

Content at the moment, I watched the suds rinse out of my hair, white puffy clumps of shampoo shot to the surface like canons with a gurgle, leaving my short hair to wave back and forth in the water in farewell. When, at last, I was positive that the suds had left the hair on its lonesome, I resurfaced in need for air. Drops of water trickled down my face in random patterns as I stood up, one arm held up to contain some modesty in covering my chest.

Thankfully, Kakuzu himself still remained unmoving and silent as I backed away towards the shore, carefully placing the shampoo back onto the ground and proceeding to reach for the conditioner.

"What happened?" The conditioner nearly slipped from my grip as I tensed at the unexpected question, bewildered as to why he was suddenly taking an interest in me at all. My mind raced in a mad scramble to find an answer that would satisfy his curiosity.

With a concentrated swallow, I sunk my chest under the water, secured the bottle against my stomach and turned to meet his gaze. The older man gestured with his wrist to my injured shoulder that had been re-submerged. So, he was curious about the wound, that would make sense. It probably was rare for someone to allow such a horrible injury to remain without bandaging it immediately.

"I was attacked by a group of men that I trusted with my life. . ." That was basically the truth, besides them not having any recollection of my being in their lives.

There was a slight narrowing of his eyes, broadcasting that he'd noticed my vague wording on the subject. Surprisingly he didn't pry, nodding in acceptance at my unwillingness to go any further with need-to-know details.

Before-when they'd still been living with me-I'd never stopped to think how old Kakuzu was but when he gave off a long sigh and looked up at the sky, it allowed for me to see just how old he truly was. There was a distant shimmer to his eyes, probably remembering back to his long life. How did he look at the world? With his age. . .he must have seen so much. I couldn't help but wonder how the Kakuzu I'd known had seen me, was I just some ignorant child to such an older person?

"Betrayal, huh?" He leisurely returned his gaze to me as I decided to answer as honestly as I could without telling him _everything_.

"In a way, yes." A sudden shift in his demeanor was all I needed to know that he was thinking. My heart raced as, no doubt, many possibilities passed throughout his mind before he chose his next question carefully.

"Not by means of their own, then?" Nearly choking on my spit, I coughed a few times, rubbing a hand across my chin in the process. ". . .That'll be a yes then." This man. . .was smart, only indistinct wording had been chosen and here he was, already guessing the main plot of the problem.

I sighed. "It's a yes. . . I um. . .I trusted my heart to a group of men." I really shouldn't be telling him this. "Only to find them trying to kill me now." Why these words were escaping me, I have no clue. They were out before I could stop as if a part of me wanted him to know the tiny facts, wanted the advice from someone like him, someone who had actually been there for me not too long ago.

Kakuzu kept his gaze on me, processing the words-he planned to say next-carefully.

"It's painful isn't it-" with a scowl I redirected my look at the wounded arm. Of course, it was painful! "-that's not what I meant." There was something wearing on the older man's mind as he leaned his head calmly in his hand. "What I meant is being betrayed by people who you trusted. It hurts, right?" There was something about the way he said it, the flick of his eye, and the casualness that made me think he wasn't just talking about me. . .was _he_ betrayed, once?

"You too?" It was a simple question that made Kakuzu dart his eyes back to me with a snap and I knew that the bullseye had been struck.

* * *

 _-Akatsuki: May 17th Late Afternoon-_

"Come on, you died just as abruptly as I did. _My art_ proved better, though it had been superior from the start, Sasori my man, un." They'd only been on the road for fifteen minutes and the conversation regarding whose art was supreme, had already begun.

"Are you saying, that just because I died so soon, your art is realistically more accurate than immortality?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying, un." Through narrowed eyes, Sasori looked at the blonde from the corner of his vision, catching Deidara's gaze as they regarded each other.

"Just because my immortality was flawed that time doesn't mean that instantaneous art tops infinity. Enduring forever surpass's yours because it _cannot_ die. Even _you_ were hoping after you'd died, that people would remember and rate your last suicidal explosion, didn't you?" Deidara grit his teeth at the last part, he kept walking as he turned to his partner with a frown.

"I-"

"Guys! Tobi's hungry!" Rushing in between the two artists, Tobi eliminated the conversation instantly.

A sigh escaped the blonde, having been enjoying the peace of a silent Tobi, he should've known that such tranquility was impossible for long periods of time.

"Didn't you just eat at the hideout?" Sasori asked with a bored look directed at the newcomer who was looking between his two partners.

"No! Zetsu said to eat on the road! Come on Senpai! Pllleasssseee!?" Grasping the blonde's shoulders, Tobi shook Deidara in excited anticipation for a yes to his pleads.

Being shaken didn't go over well with the blonde.

Ever since they'd left the hideout, Deidara had been fondling a piece of clay in the mouth of his left palm, carefully chewing and smothering chakra into it with careful licks of the slippery tongue. After the first ten frantic shakes were received, the blonde spat the clump of clay out, molding with prompt fingers.

Quickly coming to the conclusion that Deidara's attention wasn't fully on him, Tobi glanced down-peering through the white mask-to find a white bird taking flight straight for his head.

The crazed member took one look and ran screaming in the direction they'd previously been heading.

"SEMPAI! I DIDN'T MEAN ITTTTTTTTTTT!"

A rambunctious explosion filled the air with noise and dust far ahead of the two artists who stood calmly next to each other, one with a bored expression given to the blonde who smiled with satisfaction before dusting off his burgundy cloak.

"Was that really necessary, brat?"

" _Yes_! Sasori, my man, you have no idea. It's one of the most effective ways to shut him up, though, it sadly doesn't kill him for some reason."

"Really, your _art_ can't even kill a pathetic brat like that?" The puppetmaster gestured towards the smoke-that the explosion had created-where a tall figure was exiting the columns as if he hadn't just been subjected to one of Deidara's massive creations.

"And your eternalness could've killed him, huh?" Wrapping his arms around his chest defiantly, the blonde looked down on the reddish haired puppetmaster. "Eternal art isn't supposed to end, that's what you don't seem to grasp."  
"Oh, I grasp it just fine, my man, but what's the point of something not ending? That isn't living, that's a walking corpse."

"We both were corpses not too long ago."

"I still think you are, un!"

"I am more human than I ever was, brat." Sasori frowned, turning to face the blonde with a glare that they each evenly wore.

The puppetmaster had never been a patient man, he still wasn't and this was beginning to show in the creases across his forehead and the deep frown on his lips. He was starting to become mad, the subject having begun to vex him since Deidara wasn't able to see the beauty in eternity.

"Human," the word was pure sarcasm as the blonde's eye twitched. "You were human for a minimal amount of years and during that time you never realized what _being_ human means! Instant is what humans are! True art is in that instant, whether it be an explosion or a short lifespan."

"Brat y-"

"You both are sooooo loud! And you say Tobi can't shut up!" Tobi was suddenly beside them, swinging both arms around their shoulders like they were old buds.

"Tobi's got something to say, and you're gonna listen!" Releasing the two struggling artists, Tobi giggled, taking a few steps before swirling around to face them again.

Cocking his head to the side, the crazed Akatsuki member analyzed the artists through the black holes in his mask.

Fixing his hair-that had nearly been released from its ponytail-Deidara glared at Tobi with gritted teeth, ready to go for another piece of clay to try and rid himself of this nuisance for good.

"You both have interesting views on art." Deidara's breath caught in his throat. Was Tobi actually being serious for once? Was that even possible for someone like him? "Fleetingness," a gesture was directed at the blonde. "Endless eternity," Sasori was given a quick glance. "However, your art view's are equally flawed." All seriousness suddenly left and Tobi laughed, slapping both Akatsuki members on their backs as he skipped past them.

The blonde and redhead turned to watch the blissful crazed member as if he didn't feel their gazes burning holes into his back.

Both gave the other a look.

"I think it's time for Tobi to die for real, un."

"Agreed, brat."

* * *

 _-May in the Past-_

"Ahem. . .well I gotta be going now, it was nice meeting you K-" The girl swallowed and flashed him a hesitant smile, giving the older man an indication that she'd narrowly made a mistake in her wording. What kind of error, he didn't know. ". . .Um, I never got your name?" Kakuzu narrowed his eyes at the girl, shifting to curl his arms around his chest under the water.

From the first moment he'd spotted her, the older man knew something was off though he couldn't pinpoint the origin of _why_.

He'd met many women throughout his years and the way this one moved and talked, it was like she didn't understand that this was a time of war for the ninja world, during these dark days no one gave out personal information and their names willingly.

Any sensible person would've escaped the spring upon seeing a stranger, especially someone with his appearance-they normally did from his past experiences. Not to mention that she'd told him current events that had happened to her, even going far enough to ask his name; she wasn't scared of him in any sense of reason he could see-clearly she hadn't seen the bingo page with his name printed atop it.

Maybe she'd recognize his name if he said it; would she run then? Would fear rise up in those big blue eyes of hers?

"Sorry, I asked, I didn't mean to seem rude. Please, have a good day." Kakuzu almost snorted at her pleasantry and kindness, why be this way to someone you just met? Especially after what had currently happened in her life.

She'd granted her heart over to a group of men, her love surely, and-against their will-betrayed her. What that would do to someone mentally he could imagine, hell, he'd lived it years ago when his village had betrayed him, though by their own hand. It was _that_ betrayal that had created the man he'd become today. A killer, such a blunt word for ones who take life, but it had kept him alive.

Those people. . .he had killed them, taken their hearts-he looked at the girl across from him-was she hungering for vengeance like he once had? She couldn't be since their situations were similarly different, her men hadn't done it voluntarily, making them almost innocent in the act itself.

The girl was turning away-wondering how to get out without him seeing no doubt-when the older man spoke up.

"Kakuzu," she stopped, her naked back facing him. Did she recognize the name now? She'd surely heard of him. "You must've heard of me, girl."

Glancing over her shoulder, she met his gaze with a look of admiration that perplexed him, did she still not understand what kind of person that was standing before her?

"I have and am not afraid."

. . .That was a first.

"Really?" With a burst of speed, Kakuzu loomed behind her, his chest brushing against her trembling shoulder blades as he breathed in and out. Feeling the heat and touch of the man behind her, the girl tensed, her breath catching as she stared in front of her. "How about now?"

Even with his chest barely touching her, the older man could feel the tremble as she slowly looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Are you scared of me now? An S-Ranked ninja like me could snap you in two, right here and now and not feel an ounce of remorse." He leaned his head on her shoulder, his face an inch from her red one. "Of course, based on how appalling your life is at the present time. . .maybe you want me to kill you. End your suffering."

The heat between the two bodies was insane when Kakuzu, at last, noticed it but he only pressed closer, putting a hand on her shoulder waiting for the girl to react in some way.

In a way she was reacting, but not in the way he had expected; she was blushing insanely at their closeness.

He didn't allow the thought of her possibly being attracted to him, to linger since he was sure, no matter what man was in here, she'd have behaved the same way.

Taking a deep breath she finally answered.

"I wouldn't want to die. There's unfinished business I have to do." For a second her eyes darted down his face, met his eyes once more, and turned away.

Kakuzu stared at the girl for a second, she reminded him a little of himself though not as bloodthirsty as he had once been. Instead of being filled with the thoughts of revenge, she only held onto determination to finish what had been started. Normally, any person in her position would be dead by now, but he wasn't in the mood and hadn't planned on killing her halfway through their conversation.

The hand that had trailed up her arm was taken away, splashing into the water to come into contact with his hip.

The heat between them disappeared when the older man stepped away, not bothered that he'd become hard at their close proximity; it had been a few years since he'd been that close to another woman, so it wasn't abnormal for his body to react in such a way.

Without another word, Kakuzu turned around giving the girl the disregard she needed to climb up the bank, grab her clothes and leave.

She was just about to enter the woods to change-holding the articles of clothing to cover her personal areas-when she stopped and turned back to him.

Kakuzu was still facing the other way when she spoke one last time.

"My names May. I hope to see you again, it was nice talking to you Kakuzu," there was a chill that ran up the older man's back at the way she said his name. It wasn't the first time his honorific had passed those lips, each letter was pronounced with such emotion that he nearly turned around to stare.

When he finally did look back, she was gone.

Standing in the steamy water he stared at the place he could only guess had been her exit-he already wondered what she planned to do next. Would she go straight from here to deal with those men who had broken her heart or wait to come up with a proper plan? She wasn't much of a threat all on her lonesome.

"May. . ." He chuckled to himself.  
Kakuzu found it funny how easily he could have ended her life, one quick snap of the neck was all it would have taken. But he had refrained from such urges, continuing to speak to her as if their meeting was planned knowingly by both parties.

He was half tempted to follow her.

Shaking his head the older man lifted himself up onto the shore, reaching for his clothes as he mentally debated on the next step he should take.

* * *

 _-Akatsuki: May 17th 6:13 A.M-_

"He did what?" White Zetsu looked up in shock at the snake whose glasses were glinting even with the lack of light inside the cave.

"You didn't hear?" Kabuto shook his head, pulling his head back to rest it against the rock behind his leaning form. "Well, you were running errands all day for Black Zetsu, so I'm not shocked at your ignorance." Hearing a sigh, the snake looked over at the sitting white being who had placed his full attention on Kabuto.

It was entertaining how such simplistic words could be utilized to earn someone like White Zetsu's scrutiny.

"Deidara and Sasori attacked Tobi earlier today." The one single green eye widened and a worried expression overcame the white being's face as he abruptly stood up.

"Is Tobi ok?"Kabuto watched the panic grow, overcoming the others face in a matter of seconds. _"This is something to take note off."_ Having White Zetsu reveal actual emotion was rare; during the many weeks that the snake had known the white being, he had never conveyed ample emotion besides the usual smile that occupied his face.

"Are you kidding? He's not the one you should be worried about."

"What?" White Zetsu blinked, not wholly understanding the snakes choice of words.

"They came at him with the intent to kill but all Tobi did was run circles around them. He got them to unintentionally hurt each other without laying a single finger on them." Kabuto smirked, laughing inwardly at the irony as he closed his eyes. "That Tobi. . .you'd think he's the weakest Akatsuki member. But if he could take them both on simultaneously. . .that's impressive. Maybe. . . there's more to that lunatic then meets the eye, doncha think?" White Zetsu looked up to find Kabuto looking down on him with a look of concealed suspicion and deep thought.

Mentally, the white being started to wonder if the snake had figured out the truth of Tobi while Kabuto went over the possibilities of Tobi hiding his true nature.

"Or maybe he was partners with Deidara so long that he became good at avoiding getting killed."

Shrugging, Kabuto smirked, pushing away from the wall to effortlessly jump up to his ledge at the top of the cavern.

"Certainly interesting." Licking his long tongue over his lips, the snake settled himself into a seated position to wait and watch from his little alcove.

Waiting and watching. . .the main reason he was here and so far, he could pat himself on the back for a job well done.

He smiled and began to wonder what Black Zetsu's next move would be, the black being had yet to relay to him anything presently but that was alright, he found it interesting in trying to decipher the next steps himself.

The snakes thoughts ran over various twisted plots, there were so many! Each darker than the last with painful ideas in between.

"I'm gonna miss you, Kabuto." Kabuto nearly jumped out of his skin when these words were whispered into his ear and something akin to lips touched his forehead.

"Bye May. . ." With an unintentional gasp, the snake jumped up, his head coming into contact with the low ceiling with a crack. Groaning at the pain Kabuto looked around, cupping his head that angrily pulsed at his stupidity.

"What the hell was that?" He muttered to himself when he found no other person in his little area above the main cave.

There was no way he was losing his mind. . .so what was going on?

After much thinking on his part-still unsure about the events-Kabuto came to the conclusion to talk to Black Zetsu when he finally returned to the base. He hoped that the black being would have some clue as to why he was remembering a conversation he'd had with a girl called May, a conversation that he didn't remember having, and a girl who he was sure he'd never known.

These were the thoughts that crowded the snake's mind when another memory crashed into him and to his shock, Kabuto fainted.


	14. In Which Our Unraveling

**-J-**

* * *

14: In Which Our Unraveling

Akatsuki's Time: May 18

May's Time: Younger days of a Certain Medic

* * *

 _-Akatsuki: May 18th 12:13 P.M-_

Most people's day started out with breakfast, some family time and going off to work/an occasional mission-if said person was a ninja. That wasn't normal for Kabuto.

Listening, watching, and waiting for Black Zetsu commands; _that_ was a normal day for Kabuto Yakushi. Honestly, it wasn't a crazy schedule-no matter how many top secret missions the black being gave later on-and it didn't hold a candle to his past work of experimenting. The learning aspects hadn't changed other than he was learning more so about the Akatsuki then dead and live experiments.

Experimentation was the norm until a few months ago when Kabuto joined the Akatsuki and-later-began working undercover for Black Zetsu. It had been a fun time, one that had both excited and fascinated the snake who still missed the sensation of learning from past hobbies. But, for now, experiments were in the past-unless it was requested from his _new_ 'master'-now all that was desired from him was to watch and listen from his little cliff above the main cavern. Sitting for such long hours could be uncomfortable and for the past two days most of the Akatsuki had been out searching for Pain's killer so, at the moment, the job was quite boring and uninteresting to the snake. This gave him the time he needed to consider May 17th's disruption he'd received; the day had begun with perfect normality, nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, that is until later on that night.

Kabuto was one of those people that had a severe passion for what he did, and what he did disturbed people-shocking them-however, he never shocked himself because to him he was used to his strangeness. This was one of the first days that the snake had managed to become shocked by something of himself, in this case: his memory. He'd remembered a girl that he certainly didn't recall meeting and that his feelings regarding her were. . .somewhat disturbing, not something he'd willingly admit. To top it all off, the snake had fainted! It was such a display of weakness that it left him reeling in confusion.

To Kabuto, he found it strange, he wasn't one to forget things-he wasn't one to brag but-his mind was built for remembrance. Having such a great memory meant that is was nearly impossible to forget things-not even the nightmares of his childhood could be forgotten-so having random memories seemingly pop out of nowhere was more than concerning, it was suspicious to the snake who, for once, couldn't understand.

He still didn't understand it even now, a few hours later, as he sat on his ledge, staring at the wall across from the cliff, thinking hard about the memory.

The memory wasn't complete but it had been enough for Kabuto to see who he was talking to, her name and that he'd been trying to heal her at a time when he'd had a difficult time healing severe injuries properly.

With an irritated sigh, the snake leaned his chin in his hand, the stare turning into a glare. What had he been doing and why? Why was he remembering it now? Could there be some significance to it? If his memory was finally shoving this to the surface. . .had something triggered it?

"Damn it." A white snake crept out of the red cloak surrounding Kabuto, flicking its tongue in and out, eyeing its master carefully and questionably, clearly not understanding why he was so annoyed.

If there was one thing that annoyed the snake the most, it was being in the dark on something. It didn't matter what that _something_ was but when it drove him this insane with curiosity, his hunger for knowledge grew every second spent wondering.

"May. . ." The single name felt oddly familiar to the parted lips that quietly moistened themselves with his long tongue. White snake did a similar flick with its own tongue, curling slowly around its master's neck with smooth movements that Kabuto hardly even felt on his skin.

"What did you just say, Kabuto?" The intrusion onto the private ledge was so sudden that the snake nearly fell off, the white snake flinching angrily with a loud hiss that was directed to the wall. Looking over his shoulder, Kabuto found himself face to face with an unemotional Black Zetsu, his green eyes blazing an eerie reddish hue from deep within the layers of green.

The black being was usually pretty good at hiding any and all emotions from everyone unless it was his rude comments but Kabuto was good at catching tiny details which is why he knew immediately-as soon as those eyes met his-that Black Zetsu was strongly irked.

With narrowing eyes, the snake thought over the others words: what did you just say. . .there was no way the black being had misheard him-he was better at sneaking and listening then he-which meant that Black Zetsu most certainly had heard the name. May wasn't an uncommon name, he'd met someone named tha-. . .no, he wasn't even sure that was an actual memory, it could be a fake put there by someone else.

The only logical basis was that Black Zetsu had heard the name before and based on his vexed reaction. . .he must really hate them or was a possible threat to himself.

If this vivid reaction was all because of a single name, what would happen if Kabuto agreed and answered the question with honesty? Would the emotion be covered up or increase with rage? The snake couldn't help but become highly interested in the event-no matter the others irritation-it had been quite some time since he'd truly experiment like this.

Time to test a hypothesis.

"I said the _name_ : May." Even with the lack of a mouth, it was evident Black Zetsu's jaw had flexed and tightened as if gritting teeth.

"Not the month?" Now they were getting somewhere, wonderful reaction.

"No, interesting name, isn't it?" _"Just a little baiting never hurts. Come on. . ."_ Oh, this was fun.  
"Not really." Those glowing green eyes seemed to shine even more. ". . Kabuto, does it _mean something to you_ _?_ " Bingo; desire to know the snake's knowledge. If the black being didn't have any connection to that name then he wouldn't have exhibited interest, especially anger. Whoever this person was, Black Zetsu-without a doubt-hated them, obviously. The real question was, who was this person? Not to mention he'd met a May in that weird flashback the other night. Was it just a strange coincidence that he would remember meeting a May and Black Zetsu loathing a person called May? Kabuto Yakushi wasn't one to believe in coincidences unless all fingers pointed down that road, currently, no fingers were being directed so. . .could it be the same person?

The curiosity inside was becoming dangerous as a smile itched at the corner of Kabuto's mouth, he forced it down, trying to keep a straight face in front of the other who was impatiently awaiting an answer.

"Other than it being this month? No. I just thought it would be a curious name for someone to be called, naming a child after a month. . .though Satsuki sounds more Japanese and not as foreign" He could sense the other was still suspicious but with the way the snake had said it all with a certain tone and facial expression, the black being had calmed somewhat.

"It's a hideous name, anyone with such a cursed name should be killed in their sleep and sent to hell."

. . .

Major hate could be checked off Kabuto's mental checklist; whoever this girl was, she'd certainly pissed off the wrong person.

"Anyway," brushing off the conversation, Black Zetsu merged into the wall. "I need you to make sure to keep Sasuke busy. The last thing I want is for him and Itachi to meet and we suddenly have a death match on our hands."

Kabuto peered down at the main cavern, his eyes glinting in the dark.

"Doesn't Sasuke know the truth?"  
"Of course, but it's Sasuke, who knows what he'd do if placed in that kind of situation. I'm not taking any chances. And-" A hand suddenly wrapped tightly around the snake's shoulder, swinging his sitting form around with a savage jolt, leaving his upper body aching from the force and grip. Jade green met golden green, inches apart as the black skin separated from around Black Zetsu's chin, proving he had a mouth as he grinned evilly. Sharp teeth parted an inch away from Kabuto whose snakes had already risen out of his cloak, twirling around his shoulders in agitation and anticipation. "-if I find out you tried to kill Sasuke or take him away before the war-" those green eyes melted away to reveal a devilish reddish orange. "I will take you apart in such an agonizing way that you'll wish I'd killed you." There was a second of silence. "Was there anything else you wanted to say regarding, _May_?"

Only once had the snake seen the black being like this, there was always a spark of fear at witnessing such a disturbing creature before him, neither human nor animal held the same intimidating presence. The sensation of being the mouse in a game of chase was mostly foreign to Kabuto, but, he swore, that that was what he felt around this creature; not even Orochimaru had held such a dominating superiority.

"I'm afraid not." The snake smiled with a calm cock to his head, trying not to appear non-threatening to the suspicious black being.

Moments like this Kabuto couldn't help but wonder whether if he and Black Zetsu were to fight, who would win? By becoming a snake sage, strength and intelligence had tripled.

However strength wasn't everything when it came to the black being, there was something about Black Zetsu that wasn't human, from Kabuto's observations, he was more unpredictable than any other Akatsuki member, he too worked in the shadows much like the snake. Watching and rarely ever attending the action before him.

It was a simple fact that the snake had stumbled upon with unclear oblivion that obscured his vision to it. Basically, Black Zetsu reminded Kabuto of himself, which was the reason why he followed and distrusted him all at the same time.

* * *

"You met _who_?!" Kabuto jumped up from the rock he'd been seated upon, coming inches from me with wide eyes full of shock. Also sitting on a rock, I merely smiled down on him , he had the kind of look of just witnessing me grow four different heads and start singing in french, it was incredibly amusing.

"Kakuzu." The word was said with simplicity and a light shrug before I pulled the hairbrush through my thin hair that was beginning to thicken around the edges. The comb had been inside my back and was finally being used for its true purpose plus it felt really good on my scalp since the hair was so short. To my happiness, I found that short hair was much easier to make it seem well groomed.

Still skeptical over the whole ordeal, Kabuto circled around me, taking the time to carefully inspect every inch of my person. He clearly believed that being around Kakuzu meant earning wounds, and, in worse cases, death. Well, he was a future Akatsuki member, he wouldn't be one if he hadn't murdered a few people in his lifetime.

After intense searching and having no success in finding any injuries, Kabuto came back around to peer at the wounded shoulder, pushing the sleeve farther down the shoulder so that it wasn't irritating the skin and allowing for it to breathe. For a second, the glasses gleamed and I could see the medic inside, searching and analyzing, taking mental notes on what not to do and what was the best course. For a second it was difficult for me to understand that one day he'd be taking life instead of saving it, how had he changed so much? How had this sweet child gone from _this_ to _Orochimaru's_ assistant? Given I haven't seen Shippuden but still. . .

"Do you not understand how rare it is for someone to meet Kakuzu and live?" A tiny fire ignited inside my chest, brewing the realization on how much I didn't know about my Akatsuki members. The only ones I really knew much about was Itachi and Obito, but concerning the others, I had no clue what had molded them into the Akatsuki I'd come to know. "I mean, he still does a lot of bounty hunting, but there are stories on how he kills anyone that gets on his nerves. . ." I blinked. Kakuzu killed people who annoyed him? _Really_? I'd never seen that part of him. . .well he had been in a calm environment back in the normal world. For me, I couldn't imagine killing everyone I got exasperated with, especially since there were _a lot_ of irritating people during my childhood and teenage years.

 _"So Kakuzu. . .you had no patience for being antagonized? Hehehe, but was killing really the only option?"_ Based off what I'd seen in the show, killing was normal in the ninja world, second nature. I wasn't one to. . . _kill_ people, there was no need, yes I'd been attacked by the Akatsuki but I could _never_ hurt them. Eventually, I'm sure learning to fight would be a necessity, grasping the concept to actually injure and possibly kill something would be practically impossible but what truly seemed impractical was finding someone to teach me. There was no one who would or could.

The Kakuzu in this time surely wouldn't. Inwardly, I sighed and thought back to the experience at the spring. As soon as the memory came into the mind, a blush tried to make its way onto my pale cheeks, he'd been so close, virtually pressed against me, n-not to mention that I had felt a certain bulge pressing against me. The blush became harder to fight at that thought.

When thinking of Kakuzu he wasn't one that someone would think to be turned on in anyway-I'd seen that mostly from Hidan-the older man just seemed impossible to bring on emotion like _that_ and yet there was proof now that he was just as human as any other man. . .

"Ahem. . .soooo I'm guessing that him letting someone go, isn't normal?" Those black eyes didn't even blink, his fingers tentatively touching the skin around the injury, judging each part carefully before giving a reply.

"Not at all from what I've heard. Since I'm still here, I haven't met him, _that's_ how it is these days. You gotta be careful-" His eyes suddenly shifted to meet mine, dead serious, then returned to my shoulder leaving me to take his words to heart. I had to be careful, it had to be bad if a little _kid_ was telling me to be safe. "-Plus he's S-ranked, you might be better off just walking the other way next time you see him since, I'm betting, that this was just a one-time thing that happened between you two." The finger suddenly went near the laceration causing me to flinch away from his light touch in pain, gritting my teeth as the shoulder pulsed angrily at being irritated.

"I'm sorry. . ." The voice issued from between my teeth sounded forced and flexed with agony but there was a sense of dismay at reacting in such a way, Kabuto was being nice enough to heal my wound, I wasn't showing much thankfulness.

"It's fine, my fault really. I'm sure it really hurts, good thing isn't clean now, that's good. And-" Squinting his eyes, the young medic gave a promising nod and a small 'hmphing' noise. "-it doesn't look to be infected at all. There's even some growth around the edges, didn't see that the first time." I suddenly wondered what would have happened if it _had been_ infected, would a cutting of the appendage be in order? I inwardly squirmed at that freaky thought.

Pulling away from the arm, Kabuto held his chin as his eyes became distant, thinking hard on what to do next. Unsureness and debation filled his brow as he frowned making me wonder if the wound was more unpleasant than what I'd been started to believe.

The fear of having to cut off the arm rose again. . .no! Had to think positive about this one.

 _"That's it! It's fine, just look at it! It's not that bad!"_ Filled with courage I cocked my head downwards and-for the first time-stared at the wound. Mentally the visual I'd pictured was nothing but a slim cut, like a slash from a single blade. I had failed to realize that Samehada didn't slice, it ravaged, dug, and shaved all in one drag across the skin. Kisame's weapon was a weapon that a person didn't ever want to be subjected to and I now understood why. Instead of the noncomplex injury I'd hoped for, it was layers of flayed skin, digging down to create a ragged 'u' shape; the indentation was past the top layer making the carved out area a bright fleshy red that was painted using my blood.

Any bravery I still had disintegrated when, near the bottom, I spotted-between the flesh and blood-the shining bone.

In rebellion at the sight, my stomach gave a broad turn, sending a gagging motion up through my throat and to the back of the mouth causing me to throw my good hand up and cover my mouth. Trying to hold back any inside fluid, I turned to face the other way with eyes firmly closed, roughly breathing in and out in desperation not to throw up.

 _"It's bad, so so sosososo bad! Oh Lord, please don'tletmedie! Let Kabuto heal it properly!"_ Trembles shook my being as the harsh intake of breath continued without failure; the stench of blood curled around my nose and I could've sworn that a copper taste was pooling out onto the slick appendage in my mouth. Now I was tasting blood. . . was it affecting other parts of me now? Did Samehada produce some kind of poison? I don't remember but. . . .maybe!

I was right about to start hyperventilating with fear, stress, and worry when-ever so slowly-a hand found itself onto my back, patting it reassuringly. Taking a sharp intake, I parted the eyelids and turned to face the young smiling medic. It was such a look that I choked on the next breath, tears at the corner of my eyes, and smiled back.

It was going to be ok.

 _"Thank you. . . Kabuto. Truly."_

* * *

 _-Akatsuki: May 18th 1:24 P.M-_

Swirls of blackness wriggled and flickered across the walls in a peculiar dance, it's source was but a simple candle that was managing to light up the small candle with precision. Black and yellow flicked over the sitting Akatsuki member who was absently staring at the wall before him.

Next to his left sandal, the candle portrayed a glow that lit up and darkened the blonde's face as if it couldn't decide between the two colors on his complexion. The blonde hair glew each time the yellow came into contact with it, turning its color to resemble gold in a spectacular effect that went unnoticed to the distracted member.

Moving the once stagnant gaze to the candle, Deidara noted how stubby and gray the actual candle had become in the hours he'd sat here; it's flame-a tiny pearl of fire-hugged the thread poking out of the wax, shifting left and right ever so slightly. Calm filled the area along with that tiny flames circulating heat, allowing for the blonde to fully relax in the peaceful environment.

The cavern he was occupying could easily have been more comfortable but black Zetsu had made it clear that only blankets were allowed, no time was to be wasted with personal items or actual beds. Those guidelines were fine with the blonde, expect the bed part of it. Being used to sleeping on the ground was something every ninja learned at one point in their lives but Deidara was only ok with sleeping on the ground when he knew that a comfy bed was waiting back home when missions were done, this usually made the disagreeable ground, tolerable.

Inhaling the stuffy air, the blonde's gaze drifted away from the candle, searching the darkness across from him, instantly finding the person sitting there. His eyes had only just landed on the other's hair that was changing from a dark ruby to crimson along with the light that hugged around his person like a cloak.

Without moving a muscle the puppetmaster's voice filled the air between them.

"What're you staring at brat?" Deidara rolled his eyes, massaging the left side of his face near the eye where a nasty bruise had already begun to form, casting up and down in a rounded design of purple and blue.

Even from over here the blonde could see the scrapes along Sasori's brow and neck, not to mention his wounded hand that had been accidentally blown up by one of Deidara's bombs.

"I'm sorry that I nearly blew you up, Sasori, my man."

Surprise flashed through the puppetmaster's eyes, it was rare for the blonde to actually feel bad for actions that his art had done, he said not a word concerning it and remained silent.

". . . "

Deidara leaned over the candle at the redhead, his hair dangling dangerously near the burning flame of the candle that gave a reaching up motion towards the tempting locks.

"This is the part where you say: Sorry for stabbing you in the shoulder, Deidara!" The blonde's head gestured towards the right of his upper arm that had been wrapped in bandages. A normal weapon had been bad enough but it had to be poison! Thankfully Sasori had given him an antidote.

"Sorry for stabbing you in the shoulder, brat." Deidara ground his teeth at the unemotional tone and lack of sincerity in those glowing reddish brown eyes.

"Hey, hey! Look who's getting along so well!" Tobi suddenly appeared at the entrance to their little cavern, taking up all the space in the doorway as he leaned down to get his white mask into properly look at each in turn.

Upon seeing the crazed Akatsuki member Deidara fought to stand up with a snarl and hand reaching for the bag of clay that wasn't around his hips.

"You little-look what you did to my face!" With one hand keeping the wobbly blonde up, he sent the other reaching towards Tobi with such a tormented angry face that the crazed Akatsuki member stepped back, wrapping his arms around his upper body as if to shield himself from the blonde's rage.

"Tobi didn't mean to kick you in the face, senpai. . .though senpai _was_ asking for it. . ." There was a second of silence, and an eye twitch.

" _Didn't mean it_!?" COME HERE! I'll kill you this time!" Fierce fire lit up Deidara's eyes as he lunged at an unsuspecting Tobi who yelped, jumping back from the entrance, turned, and ran down the hall at full speed. A struggling blonde raced after him, his arms moving at a fast paced as he moved through the tunnel, nearly tripping on the bumpy ground.

"Senpai is sooooooo slow!"

"SHUT UP, UN!"

"Hahahahahah! Can't catch me!"

Hearing the two lunatics from back in his cavern, Sasori gave a small sigh, directing it to the ceiling as he continued to listen for when Deidara finally found his bags of clay back in his room and managed to blow up Tobi without bringing the cave down on them.

There was a tiny part that the puppetmaster found somewhat amusing about his partners relationship with each other, it was almost like Tobi didn't it more so for fun instead of being actually stupid.

 _"He's a weird leader."_ Sasori sat up straighter at the casual thought, he'd been about to think about how Tobi would've made a weird leader but the way his mind had worded it. . .where had that come from? Tobi, their leader? The _leader_ of the _Akatsuki_? Tch, his mind must be shot to think of such an idiotic idea. If there was one person that Sasori was positive could never be leader of anything, it was Tobi.

* * *

"Um. . .Kabuto, you're looking at the wound weirdly. . ." Cold fear trickled down the blonde's spine. "You do know how to heal it, right?" May quietly nibbled on her bottom lip, not sure how to decipher the uncertainty on the young medic's face as he continued to stare at the wound.

Finally detaching his gaze, Kabuto sighed, pushing his hand under his glasses to rub a hand over his eyes with defeat.

"I'm afraid that I haven't been taught in depth on healing wounds such as this. . .it's not in my area of expertise." Pulling the hand away, the young medic adjusted the big black glasses that engulfed his rounded, child-like face. Turning red he meekly met May's eyes from under his lens' and shaggy hair.

The fear was filling up inside the blonde again as she stared at the young medic in utter shock, all hope on having a woundless arm again, vanished completely at that sorrowful look she was receiving. "Before you had it mostly covered in dirt, so I wasn't able to carefully analyze the damage. . ." Two fingers fiddled with each other near the hem of his shirt as Kabuto's eyes fell to watch them, not wanting to meet May's gaze.

Trying to retain the cold grasp of fear, the blonde directed her gaze up to the sky, wondering what more could possibly go wrong. . .oops, now something worse was gonna happen. Damn.

A hushed choking sound reached May's ears snapping her back to the present, turning towards the young medic she found large tears flowing from his eyes. Two hands were wedged under his glasses, catching the tears but unable to stop.

The blonde's heart went out to the young one and she pushed away her own selfish thoughts, she wasn't the main priority right now, not even the injury mattered at this current time.

Shifting to the edge of the rock May placed her hands on Kabuto's shoulders, pulling him towards her. Feeling the unexpected touch, Kabuto looked between his fingers and tears, becoming bewildered at the tenderness when he was positive that she was angry at his lack of mastery.

As eyes full of tears met blue, the young medic only had a second to discover forgiveness in those blue orbs before she leaned forward the rest of the way, wrapping her arms around him in a hug and bestowing a kiss to his temple in a pardon.

"It's ok." Hot breath coated the back of Kabuto's neck as he found himself relaxing in her grip and wrapped his own arms around her-sadly they couldn't engulf May like hers did for his body.

They remained in that position until all the young medics sobs were swallowed up by the part of May's shirt that covered her good shoulder. Even though her shoulder was soaked, the blonde gave a small smile, cupping the child tightly in reassurance, there was no reason for him to get so down.

Pulling them apart a few inches, the blonde knelt down so that she was eye-level with the silver haired child, giving him a smile as she cupped his cheek, those big black eyes still red and watery under her gaze.

"Thanks for telling me instead of just trying to see if you could fix it. I really appreciate the honesty. . .don't feel b-bad-" a jolt from her shoulder caused May to free her hand slightly from Kabuto's cheek, pinching the fingers together, trying to hide the gesture she ghosted her hand up to play with his hair. "-don't feel bad about it. I'm sure that, someday, you'll be able to heal these easily! Make it a goal, yeah?" Giving a light chuckle, May twirled a lock of silver hair atop the young medic's head.

Mentally she was still freaking out on how she'd heal her aching arm but right now Kabuto needed her full attention, he needed to know how much she appreciated him. A smile and encouragement could go a long way she knew.

Eventually, he would grow up and learn what he needed to, become a great medic-being able to heal major injuries such as hers-and would grow up to be a great medic and strong though he wouldn't be a good person.

On his side Kabuto merely stared up into that smile, into that kindness, finding a unique person that he hadn't seen since Nonō . Both Nonō and May had the ability to make him feel safe and-in this case-loved. The source of this security was uncertain, maybe it was the smile she portrayed at his ignorance-being strong for him-or maybe it was the loving hug she gave him so easily and happily. Anyone else who would've been cross and disappointed at him not being able to heal such a thing and yet the person who stood before him, the one in pain, brushed it off as if it were nothing.

May cared for other's concerns before her own; that was rare nowadays, Kabuto had only ever seen this trait in Nonō, the one who had taken him in at the orphanage. But Nonō had known about the current events of the world, how dangerous it was; either May didn't know or just didn't care wasn't clear but he really didn't care at the moment.

Sniffing, the young medic wiped his nose and eyes, then glanced at the wounded shoulder that connected to one of the arms she held him with. . .she'd even risked moving the arm. . .

Whether she hid it or not, May needed help, if that injury was left unattended for too long, it could get infected, he knew that well enough. There was only one way he could assist the blonde if he got her back to the orphanage, and if he told Nonō how kind May had been, then she would definitely heal her.

Confident in the idea, Kabuto adjusted his glasses and looked up at May with purpose.

"May, I need you to come with me." Sadly untangling himself from her arms, he slid his hand down to cup hers and lead her in the right direction. Confused, May stood there, glancing down at their hands and then the way Kabuto was pointing.

The blonde trusted the young medic but at the same time she was no longer in the mood to walk far, the arm was killing her just with the swaying of standing in one place. Walking would be an entire situation entirely.

"Kabuto. . .I'm not sure I can handle going that far." Truly a pathetic answer but suddenly May felt very drained, plopping back down onto the rock with a groan.

"Please, May? Your wound can still be healed. But I've got to-" Using all his strength, Kabuto managed to pull the blonde back onto her feet; standing once more May sighed, letting go of the young medic's hand to still the pendulum-like arm. "-get you back to the orphana-"

"And you really think she'll make it that far, brat?" On instinct, Kabuto and May spun around in panic at the intrusion.

Five feet away-leaning against a tree-was Kakuzu, damp hair was neatly hooked behind his ears as he stared at them with a blank gaze that boredly flicked between both before settling on May with a piercing gaze. The older man remained still, arms cross over his chest that barely rose as he breathed in what seemed to be a try at not being intimidating, but to Kabuto and May he still held that menacing atmosphere just with his stare alone.

Kabuto gulped at the sight of the S-ranked ninja and sent a quick glance May's way to try and warn her with his eyes when he noticed that her attention was no longer on him, instead it was fixated on the older man. She beheld a look that Kabuto hadn't expected to see there; there was a small shocked smile on those lips and fear ebbing around those blue orbs of hers, two contradicting emotions that fought each other at the sight of the S-ranked criminal.

Why? The young medic didn't get it, there was some fear in her eyes but why the smile, why wasn't she trembling in fear? From what he knew about May, she wasn't the fighting type; _he_ knew basic fighting techniques and was still _scared_ at the sight of Kakuzu.

Pursing his lips, Kabuto decided in that second that he'd have to protect her if need be, he wasn't very skilled at fighting yet, but. . .he was the only one who could do it. Thankfully the older man's gaze was directed at the blonde so the young medic was able to secure a hand at his side, ready to pull out the knife that was hidden in a secret pocket.

Kakuzu quickly flicked his gaze to Kabuto who froze, stopping his plan of attempting to grasp the knife; the older man gestured towards May with a jerk of his head. "Look at her, brat. You think she would make it there?" Red and green eyes went back to May who was listening intently. "From the way she's acting, she'd faint half way and you'd have to find another way to get her there." Kakuzu closed his eyes, taking a breath before continuing. "Clearly, you aren't that strong so carrying her isn't an option."

Kabuto didn't like the way this was going, here was an S-ranked ninja talking to them as if this was normal and he wasn't a wanted criminal. Could it be because Kakuzu had met May? The young medic looked at the blonde from the corner of his eye, only to find that she was gazing down on him with a smile. Fear still overlaid a layer of her eyes as she grasped his hand, giving a nod and turning back to face Kakuzu who was watching closely.

"What is it that you want, Kakuzu?" It was somewhat reassuring to Kabuto that the S-ranked didn't seem to be in a horrible mood, he wouldn't randomly kill them without a reason. However, if either said the wrong thing, the older man could decide to off them off pretty quick, if that was decided and a fight broke out, Kabuto was positive that he would lose.

Dropping his arms from around his chest, Kakuzu pushed away from the tree, taking a few steps towards them before stopping and placing his hands on his hips. The corner of the older man's mouth twitched underneath the mask at the silver haired kid who flinched at his abrupt approach.

"Simple," Not wishing to waste time with unneeded words, Kakuzu gave a quick gesture towards May. "I'm here to heal that ridiculous wound of yours." Perfectly timed, Kabuto and May's jaws dropped open, their eyes wide in shock and awe at the words they'd just heard.

Of all the things that could have come out of the older man's mouth, that was not what either had expected.

"Of course," Kakuzu wrapped his arms around his chest. "You'll have to pay me though."

. . .

"What?"

"Don't worry, I take IOU's."

* * *

 **Author:** Fun fact: Satsuki means May in Japanese

Have a blessed day, love ya, see ya all later.

-Jinx of the desert


	15. In Which Our Cease and Circumlocution

**-J-**

* * *

15: In Which Cease and Circumlocution

Akatsuki's Time: May 18

May's Time: Younger days of a Certain Medic

* * *

 _-May's time-_

To protect one's own ninja at the cost of the mission was forbidden. That was what had begun Kakuzu's suffering, all because he'd done everything in his power to protect those below him and get them back to their families.

The older man had returned with the injured ninja, only to find himself subdued, placed into prison, and branded with the inmate tattoo on his arm.

Being too compassionate was the reason Kakuzu had been locked up, eventually coming to hate the thought of compassion towards anyone, no matter who they were. In the end, protecting those who needed him hadn't made him any stronger, in a sense, it had only pronounced a weakness to those around him.

When the day came that he broke out of prison-killing many in the process-Kakuzu carried that knowledge with him, a fact that would follow him around the rest of his life.

The years between then and now had bled together so profoundly that trying to count them became unnecessary, there was no need to recall a former past that he loathed. It was just another piece of a million pieced puzzle, one that was ignored though held abundant craftsmanship over Kakuzu's decisions.

During the process of becoming an S-ranked, Kakuzu gratefully accepted that people would hate, flee, and-all in all-want nothing to do with him unless he was collecting a bounty from one of the collection offices. Everyone who knew of the S-ranked ninja hated him; he couldn't walk through a village without others scurrying from his sight. One thing he never came across was someone being able to tolerate his presence and not fear him. After all these years, the girl seated before him, May, was the only one to treat him like another living being. She even smiled at him whenever he caught her eye as he sat there, assessing the wounded shoulder with tenderness.

For Kakuzu, he wasn't able to decide whether to enjoy the willing kindness or be suspicious of it. There were many things that could be gained by gaining someone's trust. However, if this was to be an advantage in earning his trust, Kakuzu was positive that May wouldn't have those emotional eyes that she'd turned to him. Undeniable fear was held in decent esteem while a burst of joy clouded above it, radiating its own light. She seemed so. . .happy to see him yet, at the same time, was expecting the worst outcome.

So she _was_ scared of him, to a degree but why not completely? And why, for the love of god, was she happy at seeing him.

This definitely was a first for the S-ranked.

Peering over Kakuzu's shoulder with eyes narrowed like a snake, Kabuto watched every movement the older man made with distrust and protectiveness for his friend. Allowing someone-who clearly didn't like him, this close, was also new for Kakuzu who probably would have killed anyone else in the young child's position. But, so far, the kid was only concerned for his friend's well-being. He was no threat and-if a problem arose-could be taken out easily if need be.

Not letting his guard down, Kakuzu kept the young child's location in mind as he pulled back from the wound, satisfied that, during their time in the spring, she'd cleaned it well. Although, appearances can be faulty in countless instances so him double checking it hadn't been a bad idea. Going over the next steps in order to properly heal the wound, the older man turned his upper body in order to open the pouch at his thigh.

"What are you doing?" The child was on him in an instant, practically lying over the S-ranked shoulder to see what he was doing with his hands and the pouch in question. With a frown beneath his mask, Kakuzu looked over his shoulder, bringing their faces near-his much higher up then the other-as he looked down at the child who flinched at the sudden expression twitching around the red and green eyes. Even with his self-confidence evaporating at a rapid pace, the young medic kept himself from backing away from underneath the older man's coldly irked stare.

"Tell me, do you want your friend healed, or not? Because you are certainly annoying me at current, brat." Eyes widening, the young child hastily stepped away. Noting the other's distraught, Kakuzu continued to dig through his bag, searching for a specific object that was distinctive by touch alone. Sadly the item and its counterpart had fallen all the way to the bottom, causing for the search to take a bit longer.

"How many days has it been since you acquired that wound, May?"

The answer took a minute to ponder, she clearly wasn't fully sure.

". . .A day?" May cleared her throat. "Yes, a day."

"Really?" Either the blonde was tired and couldn't think coherently or she truly didn't know because-from what he'd observed-that injury had been recently bestowed. Possibly not long before their meeting in the spring.

". . ." The young medic looked over at May, he too was curious at her silence.

Deeming her lack of reply as an answer, the older man turned back to face May after pulling out a syringe, vial, and a tiny package of disinfectant wipes. He found the blonde staring at him weirdly. . .was she-? No, he shouldn't think too much into that emotional look of hers, there was too much affection there. . .way to much that most certainly couldn't be directed towards him.

Ignoring whatever he'd just seen, Kakuzu cracked open the tiny bag of wipes, going to work on sterilizing the equipment so not to cause even more damage to the wounded.

Coming to Kakuzu's side, the young child carefully watched the S-rank apply a wipe up and down the needle of the syringe. To anyone else it would seem that there was only distrust coming from the child but from Kakuzu's point of view, he sensed the curiosity. Prior to seeking these two's attentions earlier, he'd overheard their conversation, taking into account how this young child was a medic and yet he hadn't been trained in abstract wounds such as May's. Putting it simply, he was curious as to what the older man would do.

Being curious of an S-ranked, how strange but this seemed to be the day for strange occurrences.

* * *

It had taken seeing Kakuzu out of the watery environment of steam and mist for me to register just how different he was from the futuristic one. His facial expressions were still customary, however, the visual aspect of the older man had differed a bit-something I hadn't noticed during their first encounter. One point of interest was his hair. When it came to my Kakuzu he'd had hair that nearly reached the middle of his back, this wasn't the case for the present S-ranked whose hair crudely outlined the bottom of the neck. It was on the verge of being grown out but still, such a different look was a head turner for me. The other was his physique. Having always worn shirts with some kind of sleeve, I'd never been introduced to Kakuzu's toned body. In this world his clothes were nothing like the ones he'd received from me, there were no sleeves, in fact, the area where sleeves would be, it was cut inwards, showing off the edges of his chest. During the spring I hadn't allowed myself to really look at him, wanting to give him the privacy that he deserved, now. . .it wasn't so much an issue since the shirt was specifically made that way.

Taking a deep breath I followed the outline of the shirt, taking in the muscles and noting how much skinnier he was-it wasn't extremely noticeable-but I knew just how large Kakuzu was. He obviously wouldn't be gaining his impressive bulk until later.

A shift in the corner of my eye brought me back from checking the older man out; swallowing I found Kakuzu staring at me with a strange expression, all while brandishing a syringe. . .there was a flash of cold fear crossing over me. In order to try and calm the overdose of terror racing throughout, I cupped both hands together in my lap, tapping my feet soundlessly up and down to regain balance. Yes, I found syringes scary and daunting-it was a natural fear-however, this had to be reverted just this once. If a dose from the slim object could quell the pain I was trying to ignore in my shoulder then it _had_ to be done.

I watching Kakuzu clean the end of the syringe with the tenseness of a person waiting for their own execution; accepting the end result didn't mean I had to enjoy the moments up to when that medical equipment would be injected somewhere through my skin.

". . .Kakuzu?" Stopping the cleaning motion, the older man looked up over the slim object, connecting their gazes with rapid attention to my rigid form. Those Christmas colored eyes went down my form, taking in the strained trembling, cupped hands, and tapping feet; his gaze softened ever so lightly causing me to bite my lip in apprehension. "Tell me. . .will you please do it quickly? I. . .I _really_ d-don't like needles." That look of understanding was covered as Kakuzu blinked with a nod and came closer. I knew it was time when he hovered over the shoulder, eyeing it once before grasping my arm and turning the forearm outwards.

The S-ranked gave me one more look. "If it helps, just keep your eyes on me." Lip trembling I gave a quick nod, latching onto his face with abandon, relishing his touch but hating when the cold object was lowered to touch the thin skin of where the arm bends.

Red and green stayed with mine, only flicking towards the arm once, but always coming back until-to my surprise-I felt the fear ebbing away the longer I stared, losing myself in those beautifully colored eyes. Eventually, the terror vanished and we were left staring at each other and when there finally was a pinch, neither Kakuzu nor I noticed.

"Kakuzu. . ." There was nothing that could break our gaze. "Your eyes are absolutely beautiful." My hand was halfway up and over to his face when I realized my own actions and reclaimed the hand back to my side, tearing the gaze to the ground.

The older man looked at the fallen hand with a quick look just as he opened the disinfect wipes again, pulling out a wipe and a round of light blue tape. I could feel Kakuzu's gaze on me as the point of entrance for the syringe was cleaned and then wrapped with a single curve of the tape, securing it tightly to the joint.

"May," He wanted to know, didn't he? Why I had almost touched him, outlined his face. . .act the way I wanted when around one of the men I loved. "You really think that?" I blinked, wait, he wasn't referring to that awkward moment with the hand? He wanted to know if my _words_ were true?

Building up some courage I brought my gaze to meet his once more, taking in that tan face with a smile. "Yes, very much so, Kakuzu." The reply was hushed, barely even audible but he heard it, and I knew-just from the way his face twitched-that he was lightly smiling under that mask.

"Um. . . you guys? The _wound_?" Realizing just how close we were-the few inches between because of the shot had lessened with each second-I pulled back and leaned somewhat to look over Kakuzu to Kabuto who had his arms wrapped around his tiny chest. The young medic was glaring at the S-ranked with a weird look. . .jealousy? Why and how could that sweet kid be jealous?

As if nothing had just occurred between us, Kakuzu returned the medical equipment back to his pouch and placed his hands on the shoulder resulting in me to tremble, both from the pain and the simple touch that made me somewhat warm. The older man-seeming to have a sixth sense, gave me a hard stare, reading my uncomfortable face. It was as if Kakuzu was proving a point when the hands strayed down, away from the wound, tracing with a touch both firm and light; I gave him a small look, somewhat shocked at his exploration into my previous reaction. He was staring at me with a look I couldn't describe, plus the mask wasn't aiding in reading his expressions.

There were distinct crinkles around the edges of Kakuzu's eyes, confirming some kind of smile beneath the fabric. Did he find my reaction funny? Was he onto me?

I suddenly wasn't sure where to look so I directed my look to remain on his face, trying to tell him with my eyes to just get on with it. This situation was just too much, as much as I liked the touch, it was just too much for the moment. The first priority was the wound.

Reading the gaze easily, the older man's situated and tightened his hands, one on my forearm while the other drifted from its exploration of the collar bone to latch onto the opposite shoulder.

To my shock, the stitches across Kakuzu's arms wriggled in their holds until they untied themselves from the first band along his upper arm. Having the appearance of tentacles, the black tendrils went straight for my arm, ghosting over the skin so to get into their proper places to do whatever they needed to do.

After a few seconds of keeping my gaze on the older man I began to wonder what exactly those things were doing, I felt. . .something. With curiosity, I decided to turn my head and look-but was stopped as the S-ranked hand-that was connected to the black tendrils-grasped my cheek and pulled me away from the sight.

"Brat, come over here please." Jumping out of his skin at the sudden command, Kabuto came over as fast as lightning, tripping over his feet once causing me to give him a look of worry.

"W-what?" Straightening his glasses, Kabuto looked over at the wounded shoulder with surprise and revelation . . . _what_ was he looking at?

The fingers tracing my jaw were firm, keeping my face in place awhile the older man directed his gaze towards the young medic who met his gaze with a frown. "Brat, I want-" It was this second that I managed to crane my eyes just enough to see what was going onto my shoulder.

A clap of wanting to throw up burst up my throat, burning at the back of my mouth as I coughed at the stench and sight of the tendrils stitching the skin back together, gouging the pieces like fabric and suddenly I couldn't hold back and was in a frantic panic to cover my mouth and try to stop from throwing up.

Kakuzu was talking, I could hear the rumble and yet couldn't make out the words for my brain had become as numb as the shoulder that was being explored and put back together. So long as I can remember, I've never had a problem with blood but. . .when it was my own and my own body looked like a fricken' jigsaw puzzle. . .I had a few issues about it.

I was practically hyperventilating when my brain finally picked up on one of Kakuzu's sentences through the dense fog of disgust, fear, and holding back the empty contents of my stomach. "May, why were you at the spring?" In the middle of big gulps of air through the hand over my mouth, I gave him a wide-eyed stare. Why, the hell, did he want to know that? Was that really the right thing to ask during _this_ kind of situation!?

Seeing that he'd caught my attention, Kakuzu continued to trace his hand across my cheek giving me the realization that he'd remained in touch with me during my falling out. "May, tell me why you were at the spring."

Trembling, I tried not to think and look back at the shoulder, not wanting to know the details.

"I-I went there t-to clean the wound. . ." More feeling rushed up my opposite arm when I felt a large hand cup my own and a smaller one on my shoulder.

"And was it easy finding the spring?" There was something about talking that eased my mind, eased the tension, and eased the trembling. That choking fear was beginning to depart.

"K-Kabuto told me where it was." Turning my head just enough, I found Kabuto with a hand atop my good shoulder, a worried smile flickering around his small lips. Catching my gaze, he beamed at me positively, leaning his face down and placed his chin into his hand in order look up at me without hindrance.

"Hmmm. . .There. Good job, May. I'm done." Blinking, I looked up at Kakuzu who had pulled away from me, the stitches were curling back towards him and re-stitching themselves back into their proper places on his toned arm, becoming still once again.

At first, I was still confused on why the S-ranked had asked me questions until I pondered over the last few minutes of my freak out. I'd panicked, moved and had alerted Kakuzu. Once-during my childhood-I read a book that beheld a scene of a nurse who had calmed an overly stressed patient by coming up with random questions to take their mind off of their problems at the time.

Just like that nurse, the older man had copied that same tactic in order to calm me down and it had worked perfectly. I was left feeling impressed and grateful.

Sending an appreciative smile Kakuzu's way-earning a nod and what looked to be a smile-I allowed myself to peer at the shoulder. Because of the shot beforehand I couldn't feel anything around the newly stitched wound. There were four long stitch lines meeting at a single point and branching out over the shoulder like star bullet point. Since it had just been done the wound looked extremely raw and I could see angry red skin surrounding wherever a stitch entered into the body but it was in the form of an actual shoulder again.

". . . Wow, Kakuzu. Your abilities are truly amazing." Having been packing his bag with careful precision, the older man stopped his ministrations in order to present a look of disbelief from his crouched position on the ground a few feet away.

"I agree. I've never seen such an effective way in repairing afflictions like that before. I can't believe that I thought you only knew how to kill and turn in bounties." Rubbing his hands together, Kabuto flashed a nervous smile down at Kakuzu, giving the impression that he was still anxious but had accepted that the danger had passed by and he could relax to some degree.

"Real life is always different from hearsay, my friend," I muttered, cupping the young medic's shoulder with a smile of my own, squeezing it gently when he placed his own hand on mine. Why was it, no matter how short the time, I always feel like I've known people for so much longer than I really have? Already, it felt that I'd been with Kabuto for over two decades, Kakuzu for only one.

"Hmph, you're both weird." The S-ranked retorted with an amused tone, closing his bag with a shake of his head as he rose to cup his arms around his wide chest.

Chuckling I grinned up at him. "Just cause we actually have something _good_ to say about you?" Letting go of Kabuto, I held my numb arm with the other and stood up. "Even if you are, you better get used to it, you're my friend too, ya know. So, expect good comments." There was a strange glint in the older man's eyes as he eyed me up and down with a quick glance.

"Friends?" He snorted, turning to pick up his bag and stride away from the two of us. "I don't do friends, May." The farther the older man I got, the more lethargic I became at the space, wanting him to return and talk some more. It had been so long since I'd encountered an Akatsuki member who hadn't wanted to kill me plus. . .I'm pretty sure we had a few bonding moments.

"Whether you do or not. It's official. You're stuck with it." Even with the growing distance between us, I still heard his sigh and I couldn't stop the small frown that was twitching at the corner of my lips. He really was leaving, sad but true. Truthfully, I hadn't expected him to stay long, although it was highly desirable.

Ten paces away, Kakuzu stopped-my heart soared-turned and looked at me from the corner of his eye. "If I hadn't come when I did, you wouldn't have made it through the night. I won't always be here to heal you. So. . .take care of yourself." My heart literally stopped for a second. Was he really concerned with my well-being? That still heart gave a little flutter, similar to a newly born butterfly.

"Y-you too. Though I'm sure you'll be fine. . .Wait what about me paying you?" The small blush forming across my face stopped at the thought, I had no money on my person at present. When and how could I pay him back?

"Don't worry, I said I took IOU's and I meant it. Next time we see each other you can pay me back." Giving me one last glance and a nod-causing the blush to return-he continued walking, disappearing into the woods without another look.

* * *

 **Author:** Yeah another chapter! I actually really enjoyed this chapter, it was also fun to see how Kakuzu and May reacted to each other. Also the title couldn't fully fit in the labeling bar so yeah it wasn't a mistake it's supposed to only have 'cease' in the bar while the doc has the full name.

So what do you guys think so far? Please review for me! I love hearing from you all and knowing that people are still reading/enjoying my work.

Have a blessed day, love ya, see ya all later.

-Jinx of the desert


	16. In Which Our Lust and Pleasure

**-J-**

* * *

16: In Which Our Lust and Pleasure

Akatsuki's Time: May 18

May's Time: Younger days of a Certain Medic

* * *

There was a groan as the man came too.

At first, all that could be perceived was that he was constrained to a chair that-for some reason-was beyond unbearable against his ass. Not to mention that there was a cold chill in the air that certainly didn't feel good on his private area that was currently exposed.

Purple eyes snapped open to a blurry landscape. _"Wait, exposed?"_ Confused, Hidan tilted his head up and gazed around a room that was hardly visible due to his current bleariness. Blinking furiously, the albino took in the angular room that was filled with old boxes and random objects such as lamps, couches, and tables. It was just a basic, every day, fucking attic.

. . . Had he not just been in the caves?

Having decided to kill whoever had done this, Hidan rose-only for the bonds to secure him back to the wooden chair, implying that they weren't ready to end this adjoining relationship. Sending a vicious glare at the bonds encircling his upper torso and legs, Hidan jerked angrily, trying in vain to wretch himself out of their strong hold. The ropes were adamant in keeping him tightly bound to that cursed chair.

"What the actual hell!" Beyond pissed, the albino bounced in the chair, banging his feet in a way that called attention. How dare they! "Whoever did this! You better fucking get up here, RIGHT NOW! You have a _lot_ of explaining to do! Dammit!" Snarling, Hidan tugged himself forward, feeling the ropes cut deep into his arms with a bout of pleasurable pain, any other time he would have moaned but this was not the time. He was too pissed to get turned on.

"Where are you fuckers?!" The question seemed to echo and the nude albino grit his teeth, pushing his back right up to the chair in hope to feel the ropes slack a tiny bit. They didn't, not even an inch.

. . . Fuck. He was stuck.

Growling under his breath, Hidan stared at the ground, twisting each hand in order to bring them together. Maybe, if he got a good hold and pulled hard enough, a hand could be freed. With one free then that would raise the odds a bit.

A shuffling noise stopped the albino's actions in their tracks. Snapping his head back up, Hidan looked around the room with a glare. Whoever had done this to him was in this room, right now, watching.

"Why you fucking hiding? HUH? Are you that scared?" Laughing at pure irony, the albino cupped both fists behind his back, deciding to just try and pull in opposite directions and snap the rope with pure pressure. That also had no effect.

"Well w-" The breath taken after the laughs caught in Hidan's throat, choking and burning although it remained ignored as he stared at the person who had made their way towards him.

He knew her the second she came to stand in the single beam of light, her long blonde hair glowing like a circular halo that was slightly curled at the ends. Blue eyes sparked with a vivid likeness that held an abundance of emotions as she glared.

It was the girl who had escaped from being Hidan's first kill since being resurrected-at the time. Not to mention the reason as to why the Akatsuki was currently set on bringing her in as a new member: she'd killed Pain.

Staring at the girl now, the albino was torn between two emotions. The first being insane joyfulness at finally finding her. At last, he could kill her like she'd been destined to the moment they'd crossed paths! Already could the thought of slicing her into tiny bits, bring a smile onto his face-similar to that of a child at Christmas.

The second was outrage for she was the one who put him here-Hidan was one hundred percent sure on that estimate. How dare she do this! This wasn't how it was supposed to happen! It wasn't fair! Their places should be switched, him looking down on her with a rapturous smile and explaining just how divine her death would be!

What the fuck kind of reality was this!?

"Tell me the truth." Cocking an eyebrow, either emotion departed as Hidan opened his mouth in bewilderment. Truth? What the fuck kind of truth was she prattling on about?

"How about you just explain what the fuck is going on!" He snarled angrily, never taking his eyes off the other. His hatred boiling at both her and the confusion of why he was here. Had she somehow kidnapped him? _No_ , that couldn't be it, just because his immortality wasn't how it used to be didn't mean his senses had dwindeled. So, fucking, _how_?

Gritting her teeth, the girl flashed forward, jabbing one hand down onto Hidan's shoulder, digging in with anger nearing his own only seconds prior.

Flinching, the albino bucked upwards in shock, not realizing that a big purple and blue bruise was laced down his shoulder. That pain quickly subsided into something else. Something much different than anything else Hidan had felt so far in the pain the ass' presence.

He was fucking turned on as hell.

 _"Fucking hell."_

Licking his lips, the albino looked the girl in the eye.

"Hah, this some kind of freakish S and M shit, you got going on here?" Blue eyes narrowed, it was her turn to be confused. Still that grasp on his shoulder increased, Hidan took a quick breath. "You really shouldn't do that. . . Unlike the other members, pain to me is nothing but-" all feeling aside, the albino inhaled through an open mouth, pulling at his bonds as he leaned towards her, their heads nearly inches apart. "- _pleasure_." At the mere mention of the word, the girl reeled back, disgust filling her eyes as she parted her lips to say something.

No words slipped past into the empty air.

Seconds past before the girl stationed herself back in front of him, kneeling down so that she was gazing up at him ever so slightly.

Up this close, the albino was forced to gaze at her, noting the specks of color flecking throughout her blue eyes.

"Sooo, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that you like me." There was a hand suddenly on his hip, dangerously close to his throbbing manhood.

Squeezing purple eyes shut, Hidan grit his teeth.

"Fuck you! Why the he-!" The rest of the sentence was lost as a pair of lips found the albino's, molding into his perfectly and tugging at the sensitive skin. Groaning, Hidan leaned forward as far as he could, turning his head just enough to dominate. A savage bite was issued onto her bottom lip as he fought the restraints. Metallic flavor filled the albino's mouth, pushing him near the edge of ecstasy as he licked over the lip, closing his eyes and relishing in the feel and taste.

Through half-lidded eyes, Hidan panted, grasping at straws as that hand progressed up the hip, decreasing the distance to his length all too slowly.

As if sensing his mental impatience, the hand darted forward, pushing between the ropes binding him and taking hold of the tender flesh. Bucking, Hidan ground himself up into the hand, gasping loudly as he closed his eyes, a random name fell from his lips but he thought nothing of it. It had been so long since he'd retained an orgasm, he couldn't' even remember the last time he'd been so turned on.

And just like that-Hidan opened his eyes and it all disappeared, but not before he heard three words.

"I love you. . . . ."

* * *

There was moaning coming down the hall. Loud, blissful, and agonizingly irritating to the puppet master. At first, when Sasori had heard it, he'd only rolled his eyes and gone back to creating another master piece of eternal art. He was sure that the noises were only temporary, someone else would overhear and go wake the jashinist up. Probably Kakuzu since that older man had no qualms of slamming his partner around a couple of times in order to try and shut him up.

Another loud ecstasy-filled moan filtered down with its own echo, bringing Sasori to turn his head towards the entrance to the tunnel with a narrowed eye glare. How could he possibly concentrate with all that useless noise? Where was Kakuzu?

Sighing, the puppetmaster quietly began to wonder if this kind of thing would be considered normal for Kakuzu. If he was used to it, then it wouldn't be surprising if the older man had bought the cheapest ear plugs he could find.

Four more cries of satisfaction were declared before Sasori had had enough.

Presenting a sound of his own, the puppetmaster sighed, placing his tools down and using that hand to push himself up off the rocky ground.

 _"He can't do this at night when everyone's asleep?"_ The concept of masturbation wasn't unknown to Sasori; one main reason as to why was he'd given his real body up to become a puppet all those years ago at the age of seventeen. It's a very straightforward fact that puppets can't feel touch, translation, they certainly can't have sex. Thus, the puppetmaster's virginity remained intact-a fact that he kept under lock and key, besides, who needed to know that kind of private information?

There was no point in announcing _that_.

With various twists and turns, Sasori navigated his way through the tunnels, surprisingly beginning to remember just where each met with another Akatsuki's room. After what seemed like only a few seconds, the puppetmaster ducked into a small cavern that was hardly noticeable in the blackened rock. Inside, the cavern-no bigger than his-Sasori found the other easily due to a lantern on the ground, sending up lights that bounced across the walls and floor.

Hands wrapped irritably around his torso, the puppetmaster eyed the albino on the floor who was twisting up the two sheets he had, hugging the pillow to his chest. That damn moaning was still continuing. Sasori slowly wondered what would happen if he tried to smother the other with said pillow.

"Hey," for such a small space, the raspy voice-though loud-sounded pathetic. Clearing his throat, Sasori watched as, instead of regarding him at all, Hidan only snuggled further into his pillow, fondling it lovingly as if it were a person.

The more the puppetmaster continued to watch the albino sleep, he couldn't help but become at the lack of attention and the high level of advancing exasperation. At least the brat terrorist kept a single ear open for his comments and instructions although, he-like Hidan-didn't know when to shut up either.

Thank god, Deidara was a sound sleeper. Sasori wasn't sure he'd be able to stand going around with a partner who had loud perverted dreams all the time.

"Hidan-" Whatever words that were about to be said were destroyed when the albino took this second to mumble a single name-followed by an increasingly loud moan.

"May. . ." It was like the air itself had frozen inside the puppetmaster's throat, cutting off the ability to breathe properly.

This was just like when they'd been revived and heard that it was May 16th. He knew that name, he had to; In the far reaches of his mind, there was a thought trying to fully form. It had just become an outline when Sasori was slammed out of the entrance to Hidan's cave, knocking into the wall with tremendous force.

Managing to clutch onto the rock before he could fall, the puppetmaster turned to see Kakuzu kick his partner in the stomach with a snarl.

"Can you not _shut up_? You haven't changed at all."

"What the fuck man! Do you have any idea what I was just dre-" Glaring, the older man picked his partner up by the neck with gritted teeth and piercing eyes.

" _Yes_ , the whole damn organization heard your moaning, _Hidan_!"

"I am _not_ that loud, fucker!" There was a loud crash as the albino was thrown, leaving him a moaning mess from both pain and still being highly turned on.

The conversation was swiftly tuned out as a burning sensation spread up the thumb, bringing Sasori's attention away from the two bickering men to down at his hand. Light from the lantern caught on the golden sheen of the ring, bouncing back and forth between dark and light as reddish eyes stared deep at its surface.

That name, that outline, it was a _person_. He could see a smiling face in the sheen, looking back at him, mouth moving as if saying something.

May was a girl.

Cupping his head at a sudden headache, Sasori pushed himself up, staring at the ring as he left for his room. No regard went back to the other two Akatsuki members as he pushed his memory further, trying for the life of him to remember. Something was wrong if thoughts were being evaded like this.

"You too, Sasori?" Coming to a sudden halt, the puppetmaster twirled around, finding the Uchiha hidden in the darkness, peering at him with coal black eyes.

"Me what, Itachi?"

"You're remembering as well. We all are." Sasori merely stared at the Uchiha, his eyes widening ever so slightly.

He had to know what was going on.

* * *

"I just _don't get_ it." Opening my eyes, I embraced the light breeze as it blew over the injured arm that was leisurely regaining its sensitivity. It felt nice to actually feel in that appendage again.

"What?" My gaze found Kabuto at my left leg, his eyes lost in the sky above. Black eyes squinted behind the lenses in deep thought as he tore up blades of grass with precision.

"His actions." There was only one person that Kabuto could be referring to, sitting up, I pictured the S-ranked in my mind, smiling at the memory. "I understand that he probably did it for personal gain . . but everything else that he did? I don't think it was just an everyday occurrence." The young medic looked at me out of the corner of his eye, calculating with them in order to decide his next words. "Did you guys know each other before today?"

Though I'd seen the younger series, Kabuto's intelligence hadn't been more real than right at this second as I stared at him. Rivaling Itachi on brilliance, the young medic was good at catching those tiny details that usually went on, ignored and unseen.

Even with an outside perspective, I understood exactly why he was asking me this. Based off the evidence Kakuzu and I had literally only met a few hours ago and-common to acquaintances-one didn't act so relaxed. Not to mention that Kakuzu was an S-ranked and that must confuse the young medic even more.

But of course Kabuto didn't know that this wasn't the first time, and, now that I think about it, neither did Kakuzu.

There was no doubt that Kakuzu would have been confounded as well. He too wouldn't have understood the way I acted around him. Although I couldn't help it, it's difficult to just turn everything off when one can't even recall your face.

"Well. . ." Telling Kabuto the truth? That didn't feel like a good idea even though I loved the little kid and those stupid eyes of his that made me want to just smile.

I can say, without a doubt, that it's official, I have a thing for eyes.

Mentally sighing, I pumped my mind for ideas on what to say without broadcasting anything important and vital to the young medic. First off he was too young and second who knows what he would remember into adulthood. Would he be an enemy? Friend? Relaying the truth to anyone who could possibly try and kill me in the future would have to be out from now on.

"He reminds me of a man I loved. Especially those eyes, more or less their intensity then their actual color. . . it's so . . .strange but yeah. That's the reason." I smiled with eyes closed, praying my lie hadn't been caught.

Shifting to sit facing me, Kabuto's mouth turned into a single line as he sat there.

". . . Did he die?" Cold flowed down my spine at the thought of any of the Akatsuki dying. No that would never happen, they were fine. Even though the thought freaks me out to no end, it was a good reason to use in this situation.

"Yes. I'm. . .alone now." A throb echoed around my heart, in some ways that sentence was true.

"You know. . ." Kabuto cupped his hands in front of him, staring intently at the small digits as he licked his lips nervously. ". . You could always stay here with me!" The last was rushed out as the young medic jerked his head up to peer deep into my eyes, pleading with those dark orbs for a positive answer.

Smiling I climbed off the rock I'd been seated on, kneeling on the ground before him and placing a hand on his chubby cheek.

"Kabuto I'm-"

"-An _intruder_. I assure you." Both our heads whipped around and I froze, hand chilled on Kabuto's cheek as I stared at the newcomer with wide eyes.

If it had been anyone else standing at the edge of the tree line I would've still been shocked but seeing the current person with short blonde hair-glaring at us with blue eyes-it was like being punched in the gut and stabbed in my wounded shoulder.

I was staring at me.

"That's not the real May, Kabuto." The other May stated with a gesture to me using her good arm, exactly like me, her left arm was also wounded as well as stitched. Taking a few steps towards us, the other blonde placed a hand on her hip with a frown. "I'm the real one."

It was in that second that I felt Kabuto's confusion rise along with mine, he was staring between the two of us, backing away from my hand in slow maneuvers.

 _". . . Is it just me, or did this situation just get worse?"_

* * *

 **Author:** Finally we're getting some official M-rated stuff! Feels like forever since that's been incorporated. Please review, it really does help and shows how much people are still reading and enjoying the story.

Have a blessed day, love ya, see you all later!

-Jinx of the desert


	17. In Which Our Dismal Confrontation's

**-J-**

* * *

17: In Which Our Dismal Confrontation's

Akatsuki's Time: May 18

May's Time: Younger days of a Certain Medic

* * *

To say that strange things haven't occurred on this journey, would be a lie. From kittens turning into men, to being kidnapped-there were so many curiosities that it wasn't a stretch in admitting that one can lose count of every minuscule detail.

But I can conclude, that _this_ one takes the cake.

. . . No, let me reword that sentence: this _girl_ takes the cake.

This person merely stood there-outside the tree line-giving me an accusing look as the breeze brushed over her choppy blonde hair in swift circulations. She was my exact copy, right down to the black and red ring on my ring finger. As if to drive the point home, even more, fresh stitches crisscrossed over the left shoulder, having been fixed only minutes ago.

Even if this was supposed to be another me, there was something off about their eyes. That single glare of intensity, hate, and interest all bore down into my own. Simply staring at them was all it took for me to realize that this was the one who had been watching me in the spring. It was the same glare, the same heaviness that interlaced throughout the air. Whoever this was, they were strong and I couldn't help the shiver that dripped down my forehead in the form of sweat.

". . .May?" I cast a look behind me, finding a perplexed Kabuto a good distance away, looking between the two of us. Cupped in his trembling hands was a knife no bigger than my middle finger.

He stood rigid, fighting to keep still, the terror evident throughout his body language. All but a child who suddenly found himself unable to trust the person he'd come to befriend. Anyone in their right mind would be scared.

Half tempted to reassure him, I held myself still, not daring to move a step in his direction. No need to confound him anymore, especially when he currently held claim to a weapon that could easily be turned on me.

"What do you want?" Motioning towards the other May, I frowned, deeply distraught at the entire situation. Why did things like this always happen?

Cupping her long slender fingers across her chest, the other May twisted her chin up in a looking down motion. Piercing the distance between us with blue eyes that I could have sworn turned green for a second.

She shifted back and forth between the right and left leg, unconsciously mirroring my own movements. . .if me and Kabuto's places were to be switched, even I would be confused on who to trust. She literally was me, even the way she cocked her head slightly was perfect.

"For you to _leave_. Just look at how you've affected poor Kabuto!" Powerful emotion held claim to that name, causing me to tense. Whoever this was, she was very possessive of the young medic, borderline weird. But who was this overprotective and clingy to the kid?

When at last each factor was connected, I nearly groaned at the answer. There was only one person at the top of my head that deemed Kabuto an invaluable asset, and, apparently, had yet to claim him.

Orochimaru.

If I were to go ahead and protect Kabuto, I'd be going up against someone that was extremely powerful and knowledgeable. Logically, there was no chance of winning against him, especially when I had yet to learn even the basics on fighting.

. . . Protecting young Kabuto might be harder than I originally thought.

Tightening and untightening my fists, I thought, repeating the action continuously.

There was no question about it, fighting Orochimaru was the only option I had at the moment. Even if there was no way I could win, trying was the step in the right direction.

Layers of sweat calmly collected across my palms the more my hands repeated the nervous action.

"If there's any imposter here, It'd be you." A glint shot past other May's blue eyes, her lips splitting into a tiny grin as she clicked her tongue in annoyance. Blinking her gaze over to Kabuto, she gave him a reassuring smile. "Come on Kabuto, she switched when I went to the spring. She's here to kill you, get away from her now!" The other May took a step in the young medic's direction, he retaliated with grasping his knife higher and inching backward. Kabuto didn't seem ready to trust either. That's my Kabuto for you.

". . .W-w-what if _neither_ of you are her?" I couldn't help but be thankful that he wasn't willing to trust either of us, that meant he'd keep himself safe no matter what.

"Kabuto," black eyes found me with a tremble. "Keep that mindset, alright? It'll keep you safe." Knife or not, Kabuto wasn't experienced enough to take care of himself. . . and neither was I. But I couldn't leave him with Orochimaru, not like this.

I was gonna keep this kid safe if it was the last thing I did.

The young medic's eyes hardened, the trembling lessening as he turned calculating eyes back and forth between us, trying to discern which the true May was. Eventually, he settled on watching, seeming to realize that basing evidence on features wasn't going to aid him this time around.

"Big words, but who will keep _you_ safe?" The other May rolled her eyes, pulling a hand through her short hair in one single, quick, movement, letting the question simmer. As soon as her hand fell to the side, the other May darted forward, eyes locked onto me with fiery ease.

Gritting my teeth I held firm, watching as she whipped out a sharpened kunai and a wicked grin that held an eerie look over her features.

A sense of fear willed itself up, the closer the other May got, it left my knees feeling weak and making me believe that this was pointless. My fear wasn't like Kabuto's, but I too was scared of many things.

Taking a trembling breath I awkwardly ducked below the blade, turning to the side and wondering what my next move would be. In slow motion, I watched the blade slice overhead with frightening intensity and power.

Following the weapon with wide eyes, I knew what needed to be done. Consciously I didn't have the mindset to kill and fight with dead accuracy. But subconsciously, my instinct seemed to know how to defend better than I could on my lonesome. It could protect, defend, and-most importantly-my instinct wasn't afraid to kill if need be.

Maybe, if I stopped to think about how and why these instincts had come about inside of me, I'd realize how possible it was that they'd occurred from being attached to the Akatsuki's chakra for such an extended period of time. Their chakra signatures had brought along their experiences and allowed for my subconscious to learn without me.

That wasn't exactly a bad thing, but still, I wouldn't mind knowing them in order to not rely too much on these random bursts of adrenaline. It was a handicap that disabled me from properly defending those around me.

Energy pounded inside my veins as instinct became dominant, causing me to propel myself up and slam my fist into the other May's rounded jaw. Following the push of my extended appendage, her head snapped back, giving the impression of excruciating pain.

The kunai fell from the other May's grip, settling at my feet as she collapsed on her butt with a groan.

I stared at the weapon that lay silently at my right foot, glinting up with a surplus of emotions that made me bite my lip anxiously. It took me a second to lean down and scoop up the kunai, weighing it hesitantly between my long fingers, feeling and taking in its sharpness. The longer I held onto the weapon I couldn't help but feel weird; it didn't feel right in my tense grip, prolonged across it was a heaviness that made me swallow. The weight of death, action, and making the first move.

A sick feeling twisted inside my stomach, twirling and boiling until I caught sight of Kabuto, still scared off to my right. The nausea left at seeing his pitch black eyes wide, he wanted to protect me as well but wasn't sure which May to assist. The one picking herself up from the ground or the other brandishing the weapon.

I _would_ protect him.

Confidently grasping the kunai handle, I lunged at the fallen May, landing atop and pinning her to the ground with my weight. She writhed underneath me, trying to reach her pocket for another weapon. With a strength I didn't' know I possessed, my right hand tugged her arm up, tearing it away from getting any other weapons. Seeing my chance, I brought the kunai up, ready to dig it into her chest and end this fight here.

I couldn't give her the chance to hurt Kab-

-STAB-

Howling in pain, my body tore itself away from the other May, falling away to clutch my hip in shock. Blood pulsed out of my newly gained wound, leaking out across the ground with vengeance, taking my sanity along with it.

Breathless, I turned to look behind me, finding Kabuto standing only inches away, bloody knife in hand as he stood above my fallen self with wide eyes.

"Don't hurt her," Kabuto grip tightened on the knife, directing his gaze to the other May who had stopped herself midway sitting up, leaning on her elbows to stare at the young medic.

I was at a loss for words, grasping at the grass beneath my fingers in distress. "She's my friend." Struggling to get back up, I was met with the other May's foot as she kicked me in the face, sending me flying backward, crashing into a tree.

Coughing, I crouched using my good leg, limping slightly and frowning at how Kabuto now went to stand before the other May, his gaze hard and set on protecting her.

 _Her_. . .Orochimaru.

A look of pure hatred was turned onto the other May, piercing her face thoroughly. The urge to protect the young medic vibrating along my skin in trembles or rage.

I knew that Orochimaru wouldn't hurt Kabuto but my brain couldn't' accept the fact that he'd chosen the wrong May. Maybe there was nothing I could do about it.

The anger increased, burdening and mixing with the urge to protect until all I could think about was tearing the young medic away and shielding him.

Something changed in the other May's eyes when I turned my glare on her-debating what to do next to earn Kabuto's trust-like there was an aspect about me she hadn't seen the first time around. She cocked her head a bit, that look turning to curiosity as I grit my teeth in vain.

"Kabuto. . .you made your decision . . .but shouldn't you be heading home?" The young medic's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Like you said, many have been wounded recently. They'll be needing your help more than either of us now." From where I crouched, the bewildered look on the other May's face was plainly evident. She had no clue that I was referring to me and Kabuto's conversation _before_ the spring. Only _we_ would know that.

The young medic's eyes widened as if finally realizing what he'd done, he cast a look at the knife he held, shaking violently.

Suddenly very tired I sagged, a burning sensation spreading hot wings up my stomach. I'm not sure how I knew what was coming but I did. Kabuto was dropping the knife when the land blurred into shades and puddles of color right before me. Closing my eyes on the dizzy contrast, I welcomed the time travel as it blackened out the world.

Somewhere I could hear Kabuto calling out my name, it was a slight comfort that he'd realized I was the real May.

Perfect timing. . .as usual.

 _"Be safe Kabuto. Hopefully, I'll see you again."_

The black took over my world and I knew nothing more.

* * *

Orochimaru couldn't help but be proud of his future pupil's tactics when he stabbed the knife into May's hip. It was a moment of clarity to behold. Not to mention the snakes own cunning plan on turning the two against each other.

Acting like the weak one had worked out flawlessly, easily bending Kabuto's mind into thinking that the May, who was prevailing, was the fake one.

Oh yes, Orochimaru was very pleased with how things had worked out, however, he hadn't expected for his future pupil to attack in order to defend the person he called a _friend_. That was a nice added touch, plus it was riveting to see May's shocked look as she realized who had dealt the blow to her hip.

The pleasant surprises spiced up the situation, making the snake enjoy his time immensely the more he played along.

Although, near the end, Orochimaru found himself incredibly astonished which soon changed into a frenzy of emotions that sent the snake's mind racing. This came about after he'd kicked May into a nearby tree, her piercing glare finding his the moment she looked up. The glare itself wasn't much, it was the eyes that produced the glare that sent Orochimaru's mind into a riveting storm of questions, ideas, and desires.

May's eyes conveyed the beautiful iris' of the Uchiha.

Sharingan.

But they weren't like any other Sharingan Orochimaru had ever witnessed, not even in Itachi Uchiha. What set May's Sharingan apart from others was the color. Instead of the recurrent scarlet eyes, her's were an icy blue, a frosted look resembling that of lifeless marbles.

They were magnificent. A rarity. Remarkable.

It was in that second of revelation that Orochimaru decided, then and there, that he would have those eyes.

He'd always wanted the Sharingan after all, so why not go for the _rarest_ of them all?

* * *

 **Author:** So, I have some big news. I am planning on rewriting book one of this series, translation meaning I'm gonna rewrite the entire series in a manner of speaking. Things could possibly change alot in book 1 so that would ultimately not match up with the current book 2. To anyone who enjoys this story I hope that you all enjoy what I've come up when it concerns book 1. Most things will be the same but the way book 1 was written makes me cringe so . . .rewrite.

Hopefully it won't take too long to catch back up to where we are in this chapter.

Please support book one, which first chapter is already out under a new name: The Complexities of a Cat's Curiosity. I hope to see you all there.

Fun Fact: May's height is 5'6 1/2 meaning that she is taller than Sasori, Deidara, and a little over Orochimaru.

See ya all later, love ya! Have a blessed day.

-Jinx of the desert


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